A new dementia café was opened at Stepping Hill Hospital today by Coronation Street star Richard Hawley, who plays factory owner Johnny Connor in the famous soap.

The dementia café provides a calm and relaxing environment for dementia patients, and their families and carers, to spend some quiet, quality time together. 

Hospital staff have helped to finance the café with a variety of fundraising events in their spare time. Local organisations have also generously donated items and Stockport College art students have helped paint the room. 

Around 1,300 patients a year being treated at the hospital are living in dementia. In recent years Stepping Hill Hospital has taken many steps to give both patients and their carers extra support. This includes a new memory clinic to diagnose dementia, a badge scheme to enable staff in A&E to easily recognise patients with the condition, dementia friendly signage and environments, two reminiscence rooms on wards, and over 70 dementia champions across the organisation. 

Richard Hawley has personal experience of dementia, as his father had died of the condition. As well as Coronation Street, Richard is known for roles in Family Affairs and the film Love Actually.

Richard said, “I know the effects of dementia first hand through my father’s illness. It has a huge impact not just on the person with dementia but on the rest of their family as well.

“That’s why it’s so important they get the care and support they need. This café at Stepping Hill Hospital is a fantastic example of that support in action, and I know it’s going to be such a wonderful help for them.” 

Ruth Turner’s husband had dementia and was a patient at Stepping Hill Hospital before he sadly died earlier this year. She said; “It can be a struggle supporting a loved one with the condition, and facilities like this can really help.”

Florence Bawak, matron for dementia care at Stepping Hill Hospital, said “Being in an unfamiliar hospital environment can be a very frightening experience for patients living with dementia. The new café will be a calm, supportive place for staff or family members to relax with patients.” 

Volunteers will help out in the café and it will have coffee and tea making facilities, music, games and reminiscence books and pictures. The Alzheimer’s Society and the EDUCATE group (Early Dementia Users Co-operative Aiming To Educate) will be also at the café every month to offer dementia advice and information.