11.09.2026
At Ashford Place, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to feel connected, valued and part of their community. That spirit was at the heart of a joyful lunch and talent show that brought together around 100 people from across the CAD Brent Dementia Café Network.
We are delighted to work alongside CAD Brent as its delivery partner. Our staff are at the heart of this work, delivering services under the trusted CAD Brent name and building warm, lasting relationships with people living with dementia, their carers and families across Brent. Together, we combine Ashford Place’s support and local connections with the familiar CAD Brent identity that our community knows and values.
The event was wonderful and guests took to the stage to play piano and saxophone, sing and recite poetry, before the Songs of Joy Choir brought the performances to a memorable close. Every contribution was warmly celebrated, giving people living with dementia an opportunity to share their talents, grow in confidence and be recognised for all they bring to our community.
A lively quiz over lunch encouraged conversation and helped people make new friends and strengthen existing connections. For clients and carers, occasions like this are much more than social events: they reduce isolation, support wellbeing and create a dependable network of understanding and mutual support close to home.
Putting Clients and Carers at the Heart of Our Work
Celebration went hand in hand with listening. Our team invited clients and carers to vote on the five issues they most want the Dementia Steering Group to champion. Their views will help shape our work with health, care, voluntary-sector and community partners across Brent.
The message from our community was clear: people living with dementia want to remain well, connected and independent for as long as possible, while unpaid carers need reliable and timely support. They identified five priorities for action:
1. Joined-up care - Health, social care and voluntary-sector partners must work together so that families receive seamless support rather than having to navigate gaps between services.
2. Earlier, personalised support for carers - Carers need practical guidance, individual action plans and dependable respite before pressures reach crisis point.
3. Sustainable investment in dementia cafés - Long-term funding is essential to protect and extend the CAD Brent Dementia Café Network—trusted local spaces that reduce isolation, build resilience and keep families connected.
4. Greater public awareness - Coordinated local campaigns can challenge stigma, improve understanding and help make Brent a more dementia-friendly borough.
5. Timely access to GPs and diagnosis - Faster and fairer access to primary care and diagnostic pathways would enable families to receive information, reassurance and early support before a crisis develops.
Local Partnership, Lasting Impact
Through our delivery partnership with CAD Brent, Ashford Place turns investment into visible local impact. Our staff provide consistent, compassionate support; our community connections bring organisations and residents together; and the CAD Brent brand gives clients and carers a familiar, trusted route into help. The result is stronger networks around people living with dementia and greater confidence that nobody has to face the journey alone.
We are grateful to Senior Rice and everyone at the Friendship Centre for their generous hospitality and support. We also thank The National Lottery Community Fund and The Edward Harvist Trust. Their investment helps Ashford Place and CAD Brent create welcoming opportunities such as this one while sustaining essential, community-led dementia support across Brent.
Our commitment: Ashford Place will continue to listen to clients and carers, strengthen the CAD Brent Dementia Café Network and work with funders, local residents and service partners to build a Brent where people living with dementia can remain connected, supported and valued.
