Finalists in the UK Dementia Awards 2026

We are pleased to share that Young At Heart ULO CIC has been named a finalist in the UK Dementia Awards 2026 for the Respite Care and Carers Support Award.

It is a moment of genuine pride, and also one of reflection.

Because this recognition is not just about an organisation. It reflects the people, the conversations, and the community that have shaped everything we do over the years.

Young At Heart ULO CIC began with people coming together after a Cognitive Stimulation Therapy course, wanting to stay connected. What grew from that was something much bigger than a group. It became a space where people could continue to live well, stay involved, and support one another through shared experience.

Over time, that has grown into a wider community supporting people living with dementia and those who support them — and with it, a broader picture of what support actually means in practice, often across many years and different stages of the caring journey.

For carers, that journey can be long, complex and emotionally demanding. The need for support does not stay the same, and it does not begin or end at a single point.

Support can take many different forms.

It might be sitting alongside others in a peer support group, or staying connected through a WhatsApp message when things feel difficult. It might be building understanding through training, having access to information from visiting organisations, or hearing something in a talk that helps make sense of a situation.

Sometimes it is practical. Access to food, everyday essentials, or small items that can make a real difference — night lights, continence kits, or things to help during a hospital admission. Sometimes it is about creating small moments of calm through something like a short meditation, or simply having space to pause.

And sometimes it is just being able to sit with a cup of tea and speak openly with people who understand, without needing to explain everything.

There is no single way that support looks, and that is something we have always tried to reflect. Being able to offer a mix of peer support, meaningful activity, learning opportunities and practical help — in a way that feels flexible and consistent — has been central to what we do.

What matters most is what happens within those spaces.

The conversations. The laughter. The moments of understanding. The relationships that build over time.

For many, that sense of connection continues even after the caring role has changed, offering a way to stay involved and supported beyond that point.

Being named a finalist feels like recognition of all of that — the everyday moments that do not always get seen, but mean a great deal to the people involved.

We are grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey — those who attend, those who support, those who volunteer, and those who continue to be part of what we have built together.

Whatever the outcome, being named a finalist is already something worth marking.

Thank you for being part of it.