The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) said it will host online training sessions to create more Dementia Friends in the convenience sector.
The trade body has earlier this year launched a campaign in collaboration with Alzheimer’s Society to help convenience retailers better understand and support customers living with dementia.
The training sessions, scheduled for 20 August, 27 August and 3 September, are free for ACS members. The sessions will provide practical advice on how to support customers affected by dementia in store.
James Lowman, chief executive of the ACS, said: “We are delighted to be working with Alzheimer’s Society to offer these online training sessions for convenience colleagues.
“I would urge all colleagues in our sector to take part in these training sessions which will provide key information on how you can better support customers living with and affected by dementia in your local communities.
“The face to face training sessions we ran earlier in the year were very well-received. These sessions open up this training to many more people from our sector, and we’ve been excited by the response we’ve already had from members.”
As part of the campaign, the ACS aims to create 25,000 Dementia Friends in the sector. It has also developed a resource for retailers to support vulnerable customers living in their communities.
Retailers who complete the online training will receive a Dementia Friends badge which can be worn to encourage customers living with dementia to approach you if they are in need of assistance.
There are currently around 850,000 people with dementia in the UK, with one person developing the condition every three minutes.
Colleagues can also become Dementia Friends by visiting dementiafriends.org.uk/dforganisations and entering campaign code ‘ACS25’ before watching the short videos.
For more information about the training sessions and to register your interest, please email [email protected].
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