Forget Me Not

Longer lives bring greater opportunities, and also a greater susceptibility to degenerative illness. There are upwards of 50 million dementia sufferers in the world today. Their stories and the stories of those who care for them may be rooted in sadness but they offer a reminder of what it means to be loved.

The Alzheimers Society recently shared the story of Manchester couple Jim and Joan Pearson. Married for over sixty years, their final decade together was by far the hardest. Joan began to suffer from memory loss, which eventually led to a diagnosis of Alzheimers. When she was no longer able to recognise her children or grandchildren, Jim used photoshopped images of the family to make wooden figurines of each of them. When one came to visit, Jim prepared by using their figurine as the focus of a conversation, gently and persuasively reminding Joan of what the person meant to her and what she meant to them. When we lose a piece from our memory jigsaw, if we’re very, very lucky, someone will love us enough to help us try to replace it.

Along with the love of their families, people with dementia in South Wales can count on the commitment of the care professionals who work tirelessly to enhance their quality of life. They can also count on a growing network of support groups run by people who are determined to help them keep living and enjoying their lives. 

The Forget Me Not group was founded in 2010 by Hywel Powell, and it has grown into a charity with seven centres of activity spanning Swansea east, west and centre. 

Each of the seven Forget Me Not clubs is managed by volunteers, and each of them is on a mission to help people living with dementia and their loved ones and carers to integrate into their community. The clubs are places of activity, of empathy and of friendship. For carers, they are often places of respite offering an opportunity to speak with friends in similar situations with valuable advice to share.

A range of games, quizzes, activities, arts and crafts, entertainment and trips add value to the lives of all those who attend, and the warm welcome offered at each group session puts newcomers at ease and sets them on the path to meaningful friendships. Groups meet at the following locations, days and times:

West Cross - Bethany Church Hall, Bethany Lane, West Cross, SA3 5TL 

Mondays, 2pm to 4pm

South Gower - Bishopston Community Centre, Murton Green, Murton, SA3 3AT

Tuesdays, 1.30pm to 3.30pm

Llangyfelach - Llangyfelach Church Hall, Swansea Road, SA5 7JA

Tuesdays, 2pm to 4pm

Gorseinon - New Lodge, Alexandra Road, Gorseinon, SA4 4PE

Wednesdays, 10am to 1pm

Killay - Siloam Church Hall, 458A Gower Rd, Killay SA2 7AL

Wednesdays, 2pm to 4pm

Killay - Siloam Church Hall, 458A Gower Rd, Killay SA2 7AL

Thursdays, 10.30am to 12.30pm

Sketty - Sketty Community Church, Carnglas Rd, Sketty, SA2 9BP

Fridays, 1.30pm to 4pm

The People’s Library is currently meeting with members of all Forget Me Not groups, and later in 2025 we’ll publish a book of their life stories and memories. As with all of our community books we’ll celebrate the achievements and impact of unheralded women and men who’ve made more of an impact than they may realise. Along with our friends at Forget Me Not we’ll remind people of the good lives they’ve led. We’ll be doing it for everyone who’s had a piece of their jigsaw taken away, and every loved one who’s tried to help them put it back. We treasure their lives, and we won’t forget a single one of them.