Slow Shopping Days in Bath to Aid People With Disabilities and Dementia
Bath Businesses and Charities come together to provide extra welcome in the city for shoppers this Christmas
Between 10am and midday, on 13th and 20th November, people with dementia and other invisible disabilities and their carers are being made extra welcome to Bath for our Compassionate Christmas shopping days. Purple clad volunteers will be on hand to guide people to shops which are making a few adaptions to be more accessible such as removing dark coloured mats and turning down loud music.
We launch on World Kindness Day 13th November 2019.
Inspired by the national Slow Shopping campaign adopted by Waitrose and local initiatives such as the Bath Sainsburys ‘Signsburys’ campaign, Bath BID is supporting 2 shopping mornings to make it easier for people with additional needs to shop early for Christmas. Training is being provided to any shops which would like to join in, but many shops are already signed up to the Slow Shopping campaign and will be on standby to help. In Bath, teams from New Look, Laura Ashley, North Face, Comptoire Libanais, Cosy Club, Jessops, Nandos, Swarovski, Top Shop & Top Man and Waitrose have been trained to offer the ‘Slow Shopping’ experience. You can find a list of Dementia Friendly businesses in Bath on the Dementia Action Alliance website https://www.dementiaaction.org.uk/local_alliances/17986_bath_north_east_somerset
There will be extra quiet spaces for people to get away from the noise and the crowds at Metro Bank, St Michaels and St Swithin’s churches.
Advice and support for the day has come from a number of charities including the Dementia Action Alliance, Slow Shopping, St Johns Foundation, Brandon Trust, Age UK and B&NES volunteer service. It is hoped that this campaign will build on the excellent work by the Roman Baths on making their site accessible to all and lead to further city partnership work.
Bath BID Welcome Ambassador Fiona Bell is also a volunteer for the Bath & NE Somerset Dementia Action Alliance. She has championed this campaign which brings together her two passions: welcoming people to Bath and supporting people affected by dementia.
‘It is very simple, we just want to make it a little bit easier for people to do their shopping in Bath city centre and have a lovely day out. 70% of people with dementia live in their own homes. Living with dementia doesn’t mean that people are unable to enjoy shopping, as long as they are supported with patience and kindness. By providing a bit of extra help, information and a friendly smile we can ensure that they are welcome in Bath.’