Projects at Home

Welcome to our Projects at Home page, where we share the initiatives making a positive difference within our local community. These projects focus on supporting dignity, wellbeing, and opportunity close to home, responding to local needs with care and compassion. Through partnership, volunteering, and community engagement, we aim to create practical, lasting impact for those around us.

Memory Café

We offer a welcoming, safe, and inclusive space where people living with dementia and their carers can come together, feel understood, and truly belong. Our café is a place where individuals are valued for who they are, where laughter is encouraged, and where meaningful moments and memories can be shared in a relaxed and supportive environment.

We understand the challenges that dementia can bring, not only for those living with the condition but also for the people who care for them. That is why our café focuses on reducing isolation and creating opportunities for connection. Through friendship, emotional support, and thoughtfully planned activities, we aim to bring comfort, confidence, and enjoyment to everyone who attends.

From creative sessions and gentle activities to warm conversation and shared experiences, every visit is about feeling safe, supported, and uplifted. We also organise occasional day trips to give our members the chance to enjoy new experiences together and create lasting memories outside of the café setting.

The café takes place twice a month, on the second and last Friday, at Turner Hall in Mansfield Woodhouse. Each session runs from 1:00pm to 3:00pm and provides a consistent, familiar space where faces become friends and friendships continue to grow.

Our café has grown into something truly special thanks to the incredible support that surrounds it.

We are deeply grateful to Ben Bradley MP, along with Cllr Marion Bradshaw and other Mansfield District Councillors, Cllr Joyce Bosnjak along with Nottinghamshire County Councillors, for believing in the café and championing its place within our community.

Local businesses have shown exceptional generosity, particularly R.E.Spencer, who have supported us loyally for many years. Their kindness goes far beyond fundraising through bake sales and sponsored events; by donating furniture to our Mansfield shop, they have helped create an additional source of income that directly sustains our work.

Sport England has also provided funding which is driven by the need to increase physical activity participation and reduce long-standing inequalities. It was aimed to support projects that help groups facing barriers to activity, such as people with long-term health conditions, caring responsibilities, and those from culturally diverse communities.

We are also proud to have our local Morrisons Community Champion as an integral part of our team, offering encouragement, time, and continued support.

Although there is no charge to attend the café, the warmth and generosity of our members shines through, as many have chosen to give donations since the café’s inception. This collective spirit of kindness is at the heart of everything we do and is what makes the café such a welcoming and meaningful space for all.

Whether you are living with dementia, caring for a loved one, or simply looking to support a cause that makes a real difference in people’s lives, we would love to hear from you.

Wednesday Group

This low‑level mental health group was originally established to run alongside the prescribing link workers from our GP surgery, with the aim of offering gentle, meaningful support to those experiencing isolation and low wellbeing. From the outset, the group provided a safe and welcoming space where people could connect, feel heard, and rebuild confidence at their own pace.

With support from Sport England, the group has been able to enjoy shared activities and days out, helping members to reconnect socially and experience moments of joy and achievement.

Members contribute small donations for teas and coffees, and importantly, they come together to decide how the coffee fund is used, encouraging shared responsibility and inclusion.

Over time, the group has grown not just in numbers, but in confidence and strength. One member has felt sufficiently supported to return to employment, a powerful example of the impact of consistent peer support.

The group is now fully self‑managed, a significant milestone that reflects how far its members have come. Taking ownership of the group has proven to be a real stride forward, reinforcing confidence, independence, and a renewed belief in their own abilities.