Living Well with Dementia in Ashford: Local Groups, Activities and Support
Updated: Oct 7
A dementia diagnosis can leave families wondering what happens next. Alongside medical care and practical support, there is another important question to consider:
How can someone continue to enjoy everyday life, stay connected and feel part of their community?
Fortunately, there is a growing network of dementia-friendly activities and support available in and around Ashford.
From dementia cafés and coffee mornings to singing, cinema, reminiscence activities and specialist drop-in sessions, there are opportunities for people living with dementia and the people supporting them to meet others, try something new and continue doing things they enjoy.
Here are some of the local services worth knowing about.
Dementia cafés and groups in Ashford
Dementia cafés can provide something that is sometimes just as important as practical support: somewhere to go, someone to talk to and the chance to meet other people who understand. There are several established groups in and around Ashford.
Ashford Memory Café – Farrow Court
Age UK Hythe, Lyminge & Ashford runs a regular Memory Café at Farrow Court, Stanhope Road, Ashford. The café provides a relaxed environment where people living with dementia, their families and carers can meet for a cuppa, conversation, activities and friendship.The current programme includes an Ashford Memory Café on the third Friday of the month, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Age UK describes its dementia social events as a way of helping people living with dementia stay confident and independent, while providing opportunities for companionship, information and support.
Dementia Friendship Café – Montfort Manor
Montfort Manor Care Home in Willesborough hosts a free Dementia Café on the first Wednesday of every month, from 10am to 12pm. The café is open to people living with dementia and their families, with the opportunity to share experiences, take part in a reminiscence activity and access advice and support.
Calehill Memory Café – Charing
For families living in the more rural parts of the Ashford area, Calehill Memory Café in Charing is another option. The café is held at the 1st Charing Scout Headquarters on Pett Lane, every second Tuesday of the month 11am to 1pm. This is a useful reminder that dementia support isn't limited to Ashford town centre. There are opportunities for people living in the surrounding villages too.
Memory Café at Longacres Bybrook Barn
A Memory Café organised through the New Hayesbank Surgery Patient Participation Group is held at the Gardeners Café at Longacres Bybrook Barn on Cemetery Lane.
Meeting on the second Tuesday of every month, from 2pm to 3.30pm, and the information specifically states that the groups welcome patients and carers from any Ashford GP practice, rather than being restricted to patients of one surgery.
Hug in a Mug – The Dementia Experience
The Dementia Experience provides another kind of informal support through its Hug in a Mug coffee mornings. These are free monthly gatherings specifically for relatives and carers of people living with dementia. They are designed to provide a relaxed opportunity to meet people in similar circumstances, share experiences and have meaningful conversations.The Dementia Experience currently hosts Hug in a Mug sessions in Ashford, Woodchurch and Benenden, with no booking required.
For someone supporting a parent, partner or another family member with dementia, this kind of peer support can be particularly valuable. Sometimes talking to someone who has experienced similar challenges can make a difficult situation feel a little less lonely.
More than coffee: dementia groups and activities
There are also groups designed around particular interests, experiences and stages of dementia.
Ashford Phoenix
Ashford Phoenix is a monthly group for people living with dementia who are current or former service users in the Ashford area. The group meets at Repton Connect Community Centre on the fourth Thursday of each month, from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.
Rather than being a traditional support group, Phoenix gives people living with dementia an opportunity to have their voices heard, challenge stereotypes and contribute to dementia-friendly initiatives in their community. The group currently has members living with dementia, family members and facilitators.
Dementia Chorus
For people who enjoy music, Dementia Chorus at Age UK Ashford offers another way to connect. The group meets at Farrow Court and combines singing with social connection. Age UK's current programme lists the Dementia Chorus on Wednesdays from 10.30am to 12pm. You certainly don't need to think of yourself as a singer to benefit from something like this. Familiar songs can provide a natural starting point for conversation, memories and shared experiences.
Joy in Motion - The Dementia Experience
The Dementia Experience also runs activities for people living with dementia and their families. Its Joy in Motion sessions take place at JV Home on Javelin Way and combine gentle movement, improvisation and music with professional artists. The sessions are offered free of charge and run during term time. The organisation also holds regular information-sharing sessions for family members supporting someone with dementia, covering practical issues and providing an opportunity to talk to others in similar circumstances.
Dementia-friendly cinema in Ashford
Going to the cinema is something many people take for granted, but for someone living with dementia, a conventional cinema experience can sometimes feel overwhelming.
Dementia-friendly screenings offer a more relaxed way to enjoy a film, with an environment designed to be more comfortable for people living with dementia and the people accompanying them. The Ashford Cinema hosts dementia-friendly screenings, every second Monday of the month at 11.30am. For families, this can be a lovely reminder that dementia doesn't necessarily mean giving up activities someone has always enjoyed.
Dementia drop-in sessions through local GP surgeries
One of the less well-known sources of dementia support in the Ashford area is the local Primary Care Network (PCN). The Ashford Rural PCN, covering Charing, Hamstreet, Tenterden and Woodchurch surgeries, runs a monthly dementia drop-in clinic.
The clinics take place on a rotating basis at the different GP surgeries, usually on the first Friday of the month from 12pm to 2pm. Importantly, no appointment is required. The service is open to patients registered with one of the four surgeries and their relatives. The sessions are led by a Consultant Psychiatrist for Older People, with support from Carer Support and Alzheimer's Society representatives.
The team can provide advice and support around areas including:
dementia treatment, medication and therapies
strategies for living with dementia
maintaining activities and wellbeing
changing relationships and responsibilities
finding other local services and support.
The drop-in clinics provide a more informal opportunity to ask questions, talk through concerns and find out what support is available.
Support for the person – and the people around them
One of the most important things to remember is that dementia affects more than the person who receives the diagnosis. Partners, adult children and other family members can find themselves taking on new responsibilities, from arranging appointments and managing medication to helping someone get out and about.
That can gradually change a relationship.
Having somewhere to go, people to meet and activities to enjoy can help everyone build a support network, feel understood and maintain a sense of normality.
How Thrive can help
Our Health & Wellbeing Associates get to know the person they support – their interests, routines, preferences and the things that make their days enjoyable.
That might include companionship, helping with practical tasks or accompanying someone into the local community.
For someone living with dementia in Ashford, that could mean going along to a dementia café, attending a cinema screening, joining a singing group or simply getting out for a coffee and a walk.
The aim isn't to take over. It's to provide the right level of support to help someone continue doing the things that matter to them.
Because a dementia diagnosis may change some things.
It doesn't have to mean giving up living well.
Finding out more
If you're looking for dementia support in Ashford, it is worth checking the latest information before attending a group, as dates, venues and activities can change.
And if you're looking for practical support to help someone continue getting out and about in their local community, contact us.
Last updated: October 2026. Information and event dates can change, so please contact the relevant organisation directly for the latest details before attending.
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