Many individuals give up their time to help run our Dementia Friendly Honiton activities. Each is of enormous value to us and they all bring a unique set of skills and life experience. Here are just a few of our committee members and volunteers to give you a flavour of who lies behind our charitable organisation.
If you feel you have something to offer whether it be a lived experience with dementia, a kind heart and some time to spare or a professional skill that would be of value to us, we would love to hear from you. Just make contact to arrange a chat without commitments.
Heather Penwarden BEM
Chair of Trustees
Dementia Friendly Honiton/Honiton Memory Cafe
For most of my adult life I have lived in or near Honiton, it is a wonderful community and one that I feel very much a part of. Feeling that we belong and having connections with those around you us is extremely important for our quality of life and indeed our physical and mental wellbeing.
On retiring from over 30 years working in the NHS as a Mental Health Nurse I recognised a need for people with dementia along with their family and friends to be supported in feeling included and valued in all areas of community life.
With my friend and colleague Min Rennolds we set up Honiton Memory Café in 2010 and over the years has offered friendship and support to countless people touched by dementia.
From this beginning all the other activities and volunteer led services have evolved. We have enjoyed some exciting times especially been named by the Alzheimer’s Society, “Dementia Friendly Community of the Year” and in 2019 we were privileged to receive the “Queens award for Voluntary Services.
I am very proud of these achievements but especially as they have only come about with the support of many volunteers and committee members and indeed our whole community who hold the ethos and values of Dementia Friendly Honiton so close to their hearts.
Min Rennolds
Volunteer/Trustee
Honiton Memory Cafe
My name is Min Rennolds and I was the Co-ordinator of Honiton Memory Café from May 2010 when we first started meeting to 2025
Having previously worked as a Psychiatric nurse for 43 years and the last 25 years in Honiton, on retirement I feel I could use my experience to help others living with dementia and their support circle.
We aim for Honiton Memory Café to be a safe and social space for people to feel at ease meeting with others who are in a similar life situation.
Dave Lewis
Treasurer/Trustee
Honiton Memory Café/Dementia Friendly Honiton
I am Dave Lewis and have been the treasurer for the Memory Café since 2016
and Dementia Friendly Honiton for a year. I worked in finance for 22 years and Social Services for 24.
I have experienced the difficulties family and friends encounter with dementia. Supporting those that provide direct help with a smile I think is a good thing to do.
Georgette Jameson
Honiton Memory Café Committee
My name is Georgette Jameson and I have been a volunteer and committee member at the Honiton Memory Cafe since it started in 2010.
I was a general nurse for 13 years and moved to Honiton in 1979 when I started working at Honiton Hospital.
I moved to Honiton Surgery as a practice nurse in 1991 until my retirement in 2010.
My mother developed vascular dementia at the age of 63 when there was no support for us as a family. My 3 sisters and I managed to care for her until she had to go into a home aged 70.
My retirement coincided with Heather and Min forming the Honiton Memory cafe and I have been a volunteer from the beginning. I wanted to help families who were affected by dementia, not only with my background as a nurse but also as a Carer.
Many of our friends knew me from my work at the surgery.
I enjoy everything I do at the memory cafe, but especially enjoy meeting and greeting and doing the flowers for the meetings.
I also enjoy all the social occasions and feel I have made so many new friends.
Winnie Cameron
Honiton Memory Cafe
I am Winnie Cameron, I represent the unpaid Carers on the Memory Cafe committee and have been involved since the launch 11 years ago.
I am an ex-carer for my late husband and mother who both had stroke related vascular Dementia. The Memory cafe was a life line to me after my husband’s severe stroke in 2006. I cared for my husband for 11 years and for my mother for 2 years during the same period. Caring is a roller coaster for most of us and having a safe place like the Memory Cafe to attend with your cared for and to meet with friends in similar circumstances to yourself is invaluable. It is a warm & friendly environment where everyone support & understand each other and are as you would expect totally none judgemental. The carers often find there are few places they feel comfortable going with a loved one who is living with Dementia. The Memory Cafe offers a variety of choice so it is not hard finding something you enjoy doing together
Paula Land
Dementia Friendly Honiton/ Trustee
I’m a Honitonian born and bred, and have always lived and worked in the town. For many years I have been Steward to the Trustees of Honiton United Charities and Allhallows Charity, and I also served as a member of the Committee of Honiton Chamber of Commerce. That is how I initially came to be part of Honiton Dementia Action Alliance as it was then, as a representative of the Chamber on the original steering committee. As a Chartered Legal Executive, I have from time to time been able to help the Committee with legal issues, in particular with the application to the Charity Commission to set up Dementia Friendly Honiton as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.I have always been involved with the elderly through my connection with the Charities, and increasingly became aware of the particular issues that commonly come with advancing years, especially those surrounding dementia. I never expected to be affected by it personally, but sadly, towards the end of her life, my mother began to exhibit symptoms, and I saw at first hand the effect it has both on the person with dementia and their family and friends. That experience made me resolve to do what I can to help and support others going through the process.
Nick Nicholls
Nick began coming regularly to Honiton Memory Cafe with his wife Penny. After Penny sadly passed away Nick has maintained an active involvement with the group becoming a volunteer, committee member and Trustee. Nick brings a wealth of experience as a carer and loves chatting with all of our friends at cafe meetings.
Sue Dushynsky
Sue Joined us as a volunteer on her retirement, she is also now secretary of the Honiton Memory Cafe Committee and helps with organising our Christmas meal out and rotas for when we have local collections