Sage House Celebrates 8th Birthday with a week of Community Festivities

Service users, local businesses, supporters, and staff came together this week to celebrate the 8th birthday of Sage House, a local dementia support charity with a hub in Tangmere. The anniversary week saw a packed programme of fundraising activities, community events, and plenty of fun, all while raising vital funds and awareness of the support available for people living with dementia.

Sage House brings local dementia services together under one roof, providing seamless support from pre-diagnosis and for the entire dementia journey. It is thanks to the support of the local community that Sage House has been providing services for the past 8 years, as it relies almost entirely on fundraising and donations.

The week-long celebrations began on Tuesday with a staff Bake Off competition, inviting people to sample a delicious selection of homemade treats while helping to raise funds for the charity. After some friendly competition and plenty of votes from attendees, CEO Emma Radley was crowned the winner with her much-loved Lemon Petal Cake.

Wednesday saw the return of Sage House’s annual Spinathon, with six spin bikes kindly loaned by Westgate Leisure Centre, part of More Leisure. More than 20 participants took part throughout the day, including supporters from the Rotary Club of Chichester Harbour and a range of local businesses, all cycling to raise awareness of the estimated 944,000 people currently living with dementia in the UK.

Participating businesses included AEK Accounting, Harbour Wealth, Robins Row, Glanvilles, Thrive Life Coaching, Rathbones Chichester, Moore South, and James Todd, with James Todd recording the furthest distance at 157,659 metres.

Sage House Day Break attendees also got involved, contributing an incredible 3,004 metres! The atmosphere throughout the day was full of energy, encouragement, and community spirit.

On Thursday, customers and staff enjoyed a lively Dress Fancy Sing-Along event, before ending the week in style with a staff fancy dress day themed around the letter “S”. Staff fully embraced the challenge, dressing as sailors, superheroes, swimmers, skaters, Spice Girls, and more.

To round off the celebrations, Elvis truly entered the building as entertainer Sean Sings Elvis delivered a special live performance to bring the party atmosphere to a memorable close.

The week highlighted not only the incredible community support surrounding Sage House, but also the vital work the charity continues to provide for people living with dementia and their families across West Sussex.

Emma Radley, CEO of Sage House, said:

“It has been wonderful to celebrate eight incredible years of Sage House alongside our customers, supporters, local businesses, and the wider community. The enthusiasm and generosity shown

throughout the week has been amazing, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who took part, donated, and helped us raise awareness of the support available for people living with dementia.”