Bus will drive day of action

The aim is to raise awareness during Dementia Action Week, which runs from May 21 to 27.

Worthing Dementia Action Alliance is organising the event on Tuesday, May 22, with support from Stagecoach South.

Bob Smytherman, chairman of the steering group, said: “Volunteers from Worthing Dementia Action Alliance charities and partners will be on hand to give out literature and talk to people on the bus and throughout the day.

“We will be taking people with dementia and their carers for a nostalgic trip and for tea and cakes at Abbeyfield Ferring.

“The bus will park up to give us time to talk to the public in the morning and afternoon. Come and say ‘hello’.”

The 1964 open-top Leyland Titan, known as a Queen Mary, will pick up its first passengers, including Worthing Town Cryers, about 10am and take them to Ferring.

The bus will be parked up by Ferring Village Green from 10.30am to 11am and will then return to Worthing town centre, where it will be parked up in South Street Square from 11.30am to 1.30pm.

The bus will then set off again, along with various cars, to travel in convoy to Ferring for tea and cake around 2pm.

After a second information session from 2.15pm to 2.45pm at Ferring Village Green, the bus will return to South Street Square at about 3.15pm for another hour of raising awareness and answering questions in the town centre.

Bob, who will travel as the Worthing town crier, added: “On board will be members of Worthing Dementia Action Alliance, who will have information about becoming dementia friendly, local dementia providers, carers support, information on dementia and other local services which are dementia friendly.”