A weekly support cafe is opening its doors to support people in the Fens with dementia, their families and carers.

Thorpe Hall Hospice’s successful Synergy Café has been running for a year and is now being extended into the community.

It’s hoped the event will be helpful for those living in Fenland.

Sue Ryder Café manager Wendy Duffy has undergone the Government-backed dementia friends training in readiness for the launch of the Synergy Café.

She said: “It’s really important to us to be a part of the community in which we sit. We already have customers living with dementia, or caring for someone who is so we’re delighted that we’re able to offer them something aimed very specifically at helping them out.

“There aren’t a lot of facilities for those living in Fenland who are living with these types of conditions.

“We’re hoping, because the Café is quite easy to get to from the south of Peterborough and the Fens that we will become a go-to for those people too.”

The Café has been running at Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough for more than a year, offering activities, events, presentations and support to people who have dementia, and their carers and families too.

Now the team is expanding the service, adding another weekly Synergy Café to the calendar – this one to be held at the Sue Ryder Café on Whittlesey Road, in Stanground.

Each Wednesday between 10am and midday staff and volunteers will organise games and activities, specifically aimed at people who are living with dementia, and also offer support and help to Synergy Café guests.

Thorpe Hall’s day services manager Jo Hazell and Synergy Café facilitator Angie Exton will oversee the cafe sessions.

There is no need to book and no admission fee. Drinks, snacks and light lunches can be brought from the café.