Andy Gill

Andy is the founder of a new and innovative service which provides daytime activities for people living with dementia. 

He has a wide experience of care services for older people including working as a home carer, providing support to enable people with dementia to stay in their own homes. As a result of his wife’s diagnosis with a rare form of vascular dementia in 2016 he is therefore acutely aware of how difficult life can be in trying to support  a loved one and give them the best life has to offer.

His aim along with the rest of the Dementia Active team is to provide a safe and welcoming environment, where people with dementia can relax and join in activities designed to support and maintain their ability levels. Crucially this provides family members with some much needed time to themselves.

Andy has a particular interest in developing activities using the principles underlying Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST). This seeks to stimulate and utilise people’s cognitive strengths in order to help them maintain their lives in their own homes.

 Email: andy@dementiactive.co.uk 

Melissa, now semi-retired was a qualified primary trained teacher who has a long held interest in brain function. Initially this was from the perspective of the child’s developing brain, but in the last decade since the loss of her mother to vascular dementia she has focused on studying the decline in cognitive ability experienced by people with dementia.  Of particular interest to her is the manner in which various forms of dementia impact in quite different ways upon brain function, along with the consequent limitations people experience in their daily lives. 

A late career break in order to do a degree in ceramics has led to an interest in using the arts in dementia activities.

In recent years Melissa has had experience in the home care sector; has worked for the NHS in the Oxfordshire Supported Hospital Discharge Team (now known as HART) and also for the Alzheimer’s Society as an Advisor in North Oxfordshire. In this role it became clear that services which are able to offer stimulating activities for people with dementia but which also do not require the presence of a carer are very limited if non existent. For this reason she has chosen to join Dementia Active as it is able to offer just such a service and in particular is developing the use of Cognitive Stimulation Techniques (CST) for those with mild to moderate dementia.

Email:  melissa@dementiactive.co.uk 

Jo has been a foster carer for young people with special needs, a helper with local Beavers and Cubs groups and has for some years been a carer for her mother who has dementia.

Jo joined a Dementia Active group as a volunteer in order to give her mother the one to one support she needed to be able to continue attending. 

After a 32 year career with Tesco in Banbury, Jo took the big step in 2023 to change her career in order to manage the day to day running of the 'Dementia Active' building.

She also transports members and assists them in groups.

Jo has also stepped up as the Lead Safeguarding Trustee for the charity.

Molly from a young age has had an interest in supporting people with different abilities, working with deaf people, people with severe learning difficulties and those in drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Molly's main focus in life is performing arts holding a degree in drama and wishes to create entertainment for everyone to enjoy. 

Molly says, "My family and friends are very important to me and I value honesty – I won’t hold back my opinions, and I appreciate the same attitude in others! On the whole, I’m a practical person who learns by doing."

Belinda has a wonderful husband and two beautiful children who are now teenagers. She enjoys spending quality time with her family, whether it involves attending steam rallies or going on holidays together or days out.

With over 30 years of experience, she has worked with children since obtaining her NNEB certification. Subsequently, Belinda became a Water Babies teacher, finding great rewards in teaching babies to swim safely in aquatic environments. As her own children progressed through primary school, she pursued a position as a preschool teacher, which aligned well with school holidays and nurtured her passion.

As Belinda's children transitioned to young adulthood, she had extra time on her hands, choosing to utilize it in caring for her parents, particularly for her mother, who has dementia and her late father, who suffered from Parkinson’s. Following Belinda's father’s passing, she sought enriching experiences for her mother and encouraged her participation in the dementia active group, hereafter engaging in volunteer work. 

Belinda says, "I am delighted to be joining the team as a full-time commitment." 

Helen has worked as an Occupational Therapist for 17 years primarily working with older adults with mental health problems and continues to work for the NHS as part of a community rehab team. Helen has experience of working with people with dementia in both inpatient and community settings and is acutely aware of how important cognitive stimulation and social contact are in maintaining skills and well-being.  Having seen a decline in the community groups available for older people in Oxfordshire Helen was delighted to find Dementia Active and to have the opportunity to join the team.  She loves helping to run groups and facilitate social contact for people with dementia as this brings much needed stimulation and meaningful engagement. Helen says, " Dementia Active plays such as important role for the people that attend and their families, it is a pleasure to be part of."

As a child, Joanna enjoyed football and is also a keen swimmer. She studied and passed her GCSE’s at school and attended a performing arts College.

Joanna says, “Bringing up two girls took a lot of time, but I was able to return to work.”

After finding employment in retail and then at a local bingo hall, Joanna decided she needed to follow her passion, caring for older people requiring support.

After working and therefore acquiring 6 years care experience in the community, and an NVQ level 2 in health and care, Joanna found our charity and brought her knowledge and experience to it.

Joanna states “It is a joy to help and support the members at Dementia Active. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my day!” 

Heather joined Dementia Active Shortly after attending a fundraiser for the charity. Seeing first hand what they do, Heather knew she wanted to be a part of the story.
With Heather’s father's help, the pair cared for her mum who was diagnosed with early onset Dementia at the age of 58.

Heather worked in Property management for 10 years helping tenants & landlords alike.
It was with a very heavy heart she finished in this career, but knew helping people with dementia was more important. The heartwarming affect that Dementia Active had on its members overwhelmed Heather, knowing if her mum had attended it would have made her parents life more bearable.

Since losing mum to dementia Heather has taken part in many fundraising activities including her biggest achievement, completing the London Halloween Walk where she endured a harrowing 26 miles on foot.

Heather says, “My favourite thing in life are my dogs! Second to that is the support I can give to the members at Dementia Active”. 

Terri joined us after spending some time caring for her husband who is in recovery from an acquired brain injury.

Terri states, “Life was hectic - visiting him in hospital for months on end, still working, taking care of our son and our crazy collie. You really do find strength you didn’t know you had when you have no choice.”
Caring for her husband has made Terri realise this was actually something she would like to do in a professional capacity and her personal experience with neurological issues made her feel she would be a good fit.
She loves getting to know the members and hearing all the wonderful stories of their lives and families. Having been a carer to a family member herself, she knows only too well just how important it is for family members and carers to have a little respite in order to be the best they can be for their loved ones.
Terri says, “If I can sit down at the end of the day and know I’ve made even just one person's day a little better; that’s good enough for me and I’m so grateful Dementia Active has given me the opportunity to do just that!"

Ella has been involved in the care of people with dementia for a few years and now helps with the transportation of our members who are unable to get to the groups by themselves.

Having studied travel and tourism, Ella knows her way around a commercial kitchen and has now taken on the catering side of the charity, providing our members with a traditional three course meal each day.  

Barry has been involved in the care of people with dementia for a few years and now maintains our building.

Barry also maintains the charity owned vehicles which are used by some of our volunteers to collect our members. 

Val specialises in entertainment for Residential, Nursing Care Homes as well as Adult Luncheon Clubs and Wellbeing Centres. 

She provides easy listening music from smooth and mellow Jazz to early 50's and 60's feet tapping songs, then spice it up with a little Reggae, in between pre-war sing-a-longs. 

Val believes that interaction is so important, and encourages the use of musical Instruments.