Corn Exchange Newbury has launched its Big Give Arts for Impact campaign, seeking to raise £4,700 in one week to support its free Memory Café programme. Every donation made before Tuesday 24 March will be match funded, doubling the impact for people living with dementia and their carers.
The monthly Memory Café takes place in the venue’s Balcony Bar, offering a relaxed, stigma‑free environment for around 30 attendees. Hot drinks, cake and conversation accompany artist‑led creative activities designed to stimulate the brain and encourage social interaction.
The programme has run for more than 10 years and supported 241 participants in the past year alone, forming part of the organisation’s wider commitment to community wellbeing through the arts.
James Wilcox, Project Lead at West Berkshire Dementia Hub, comments, “Supporting those in our community affected by dementia is a key priority locally. Creative intervention and engagement are fundamental in transforming the quality of life of those affected.”
Ruth Stillman, Head of Development at Corn Exchange Newbury, comments, “We know that Memory Café has a significant impact – providing meaningful creative activities, companionship, and fun to those living with dementia and their carers. We are delighted to have been chosen to be part of the Big Give Arts for Impact campaign with every donation being matched pound for pound, enabling us to continue providing this vital programme. I would like to ask everyone we know to consider supporting the appeal and doubling the impact of their donation.”
Corn Exchange Newbury was selected for the nationwide initiative following a competitive application process. The flagship arts centre engages more than 130,000 people annually through live performance, cinema, outreach and artist development work.
The campaign runs from Tuesday 17 March at 12pm until Tuesday 24 March at 12pm.
Donation information can be found here.
