Where a Cup of Tea Can Change
Everything
The Dementia Café opens its doors on 22nd May 2026 — a warm, welcoming space for those living with dementia, their families, and everyone who loves them.
What is the Dementia Café?
There is a kind of loneliness that can be hard to describe — the kind that settles in when a loved one receives a dementia diagnosis, or when life begins to shift in ways you never quite prepared for. It is not just the person living with dementia who carries this weight. It is the carer who hasn't slept properly in months. The adult child navigating unfamiliar territory. The friend who doesn't know what to say anymore.
On Thursday, 22nd May 2026, something special is opening its doors in Sandwell — and it begins,
quite simply, with a cup of tea.
"Good company makes a good day." That is not just a motto. For many families touched by dementia, it is a lifeline.
The Dementia Café is a free, friendly, and relaxed monthly gathering designed for people living with dementia, their families, carers, and friends. It is a place with no agenda beyond human connection — somewhere you can arrive as you are, stay as long as you like, and leave feeling a little less alone.
Organised by SistaRise — whose mission is to Support, Empower, and Rise — and backed by the Community Steering Group, NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration Sandwell, and Ceder CIC, this is a community-led initiative with real heart behind it.
Why this matters — and why now
Dementia affects over 900,000 people in the UK, and millions more as carers and family members. Yet despite how widespread it is, isolation remains one of the greatest challenges families face. Many people simply do not know where to turn — or feel that professional spaces are intimidating, clinical, or not quite designed for them.
The Dementia Café is different. It is deliberately informal. It is centred on belonging, not bureaucracy. You do not need to book. You do not need to explain yourself. You just come in, sit down, and let the conversation begin.
"A warm welcome for everyone — because no one should have to face this journey without people who understand.
What to expect when you arrive
Whether you are walking in for the first time, nervously wondering if this is for you, or returning for the familiar comfort of a community that knows your name — here is what the Dementia Café offers:
No two visits will be exactly the same, because no two people's journeys are the same. Some people come to talk. Others come just to sit in a room where they feel understood. All of that is perfectly fine.
About SistaRise — the people behind it
SistaRise is a community interest organisation with a powerful ethos: Support. Empower. Rise. Born from a desire to uplift underserved communities and champion the wellbeing of families facing adversity, SistaRise brings both professional dedication and personal passion to everything it does.
This café is not a one-off event. It is the beginning of something ongoing — a monthly rhythm of connection that the community can count on, every last Wednesday of the month from 10:30 to 14:00. Think of it as a standing appointment with kindness.
Come as you are
If you are a person living with dementia who wants somewhere warm to spend a few hours — come. If you are a carer who has not spoken to another adult who truly gets it in weeks — come. If you are a family member who is quietly struggling and just needs a table to sit at — come. If you are simply curious and want to learn more — you are welcome too.
Drop in any time between 10:30 and 14:00. No registration, no referral, no expectations. Just show up, and the rest takes care of itself.
Together, we make a difference.
Dementia Café · Every last Wednesday of the month · Organised by SistaRise · Support · Empower · Rise