 Welcome to our quarterly stakeholder newsletter, where we share key updates from our service and beyond. In this issue, you'll find:
We’re pleased to share our first-ever Annual Report, reflecting on our progress in 2024 and highlighting the people, stories and impact behind our service. The report includes messages from our Founders and Chief Operating Officer, personal stories from clients and families, a spotlight on our growing team and key information about our service. Read our Annual Report here.  Help Us Remove VAT Charges from Our Fees We’re continuing to push hard on our VAT campaign, and we’ve made progress. The Filo Project was recently mentioned in Parliament for the first time, with Caroline Voaden MP calling directly on the Health and Social Care Minister to remove VAT from services like ours. Since 2014, families using The Filo Project have paid over £700,000 in VAT. We don’t think that’s right - and we’re asking the Government to make a simple change to include Community Interest Companies like ours in the VAT exemption. How you can help:
We were proud to see our Host, Merle, featured in The Telegraph last month.
Merle shared her experience of caring for her mum and how it led her to become a Host with The Filo Project - a powerful reminder of the impact of meaningful connection after a dementia diagnosis. Please take a moment to read the full article. Referral Timing One of the most common questions we’re asked is when to refer someone to The Filo Project. In this resource, we explore why earlier engagement can make a real difference, not just for the person living with dementia, but also for their carers and families. Read more here. What Does ‘Reablement’ Really Mean for People Living with Dementia? What does ‘reablement’ really mean for people living with dementia? Our Chief Operating Officer, Jude Pinder, has explored this in a new piece, offering a thoughtful take on what meaningful reablement looks like in practice, and why it matters so much for people living with dementia. It's a powerful reminder of the importance of personalised, community-based support that focuses on what people can do, and the difference this approach can make every day. Read the full article on our website. Beulah and Gordon's Story To mark Carers Week 2025, we shared the story of Beulah, whose husband Gordon attended Filo Days. Beulah reflects on her caring journey and the support that made a difference along the way. It's a powerful reminder of the impact of community-based care and the role of connection. Read their story. Regional Developments Devon: Co-producing the Future of Social Care We were pleased to attend the recent Devon County Council Community Services Co-production event - a fantastic opportunity to come together with colleagues and peers from across sectors and advocate for people with dementia and their families. It was heartening to see so many people dedicated to shaping services that truly reflect the needs and voices of our communities. It was also great to travel to North Devon this month to meet with the excellent team at North Devon Voluntary Services (NDVS). NDVS is an organisation focused on supporting the VCSE sector in North Devon, with passion, commitment and enthusiasm to make sure that groups and organisations are given the support they need to continue serving and supporting their local communities. Torbay: Building Connections for Better Dementia Support Our team attended the first Torbay Council Day Services, ILES and VCSE Provider Forum - an important step in strengthening collaboration across the local care landscape. It was a pleasure to meet with organisations working throughout Torbay and to hear directly from the Council’s Commissioning Team about the current market picture and their ambitions for future service planning. We’re committed to working with commissioners to ensure dementia services reflect local needs and truly support families. Ultimately, this kind of joined-up work leads to better support for those affected by dementia, ensuring they have access to care that honours their individuality, promotes independence, and brings peace of mind to the people who love them. Cornwall: Dementia Conference 2025 We were proud to sponsor the Cornwall Annual Dementia Conference – a day of learning, collaboration, and inspiration. With 180 delegates, including people living with dementia, carers, professionals, and community groups, the event highlighted the shared commitment to improving lives across Cornwall and beyond. Huge thanks to Paul Cadger, Kernow Health CIC, and the Cornwall Dementia Partnership for bringing together a truly memorable day. Somerset: Partnering to Improve Dementia Hospital Discharge Experiences Through the Connecting Health Communities 1 (CHC) national programme, we’re working with partners to improve hospital discharge experiences in Somerset. At our first session, we heard directly from families affected by dementia – a powerful reminder of why this work matters. This is how we’ll make services better: by listening, collaborating, and acting together. If you're interested in being involved with this work, please get in touch with us, and we can connect you with the Steering Group. Lancashire: A Catch-Up With Commissioners This month, we had a great catch-up with our Commissioning Lead in Lancashire. It was a good opportunity to look at how The Filo Project is developing well, particularly in East Lancashire. We are now considering future plans for expanding provision across additional areas of the County. Please keep in touch with us for more details as we progress. Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole: New Groups Have Now Started We’re excited that our first group in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) is up and running, with more launching soon. This is testament to the hard work and dedication, and support of not only The Filo Project Team but also Commissioners at BCP Council, local Health & Social Care Teams, and support from local VCSE organisations such as CAN Network. There are too many to name them all here, but we’re thankful to you all! It feels rewarding to know that we will now be supporting individuals living with dementia and their families to improve their quality of life within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Comments are closed.
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