Home Instead Exeter & East Devon, an award-winning home care provider, teamed up with the World of Country Life attraction in Exmouth to provide a special experience for one local dementia support group during Carers Week.

The Colyton and Colyford Memory Café is a vibrant and popular organisation, led by a team of volunteers, which meets twice monthly, offering support, guidance, activity and friendship to over 50 members living with dementia, along with their loved ones or carers.

Having benefitted from free dementia awareness training provided by Home Instead, the World of Country Life team were able to provide an experience for the Memory Café members, which included reminiscence therapy via the Memory Lane exhibit at the park – a life-size and interactive street featuring a local pub, butchers, clothes shop, homeware supplier and more, including period pieces, sights and sounds from times gone by.

Having travelled to the venue together via coach, courtesy of Home Instead, the group also thoroughly enjoyed the World of Country Life Deer Train experience, putting them in close contact with the park animals, including llama, sheep and deer, followed by a stop off at the park café for a cream tea.

World of Country Life marketing manager, Debbie Butler, said: "It was really wonderful to welcome the memory café group, and to see them enjoy the exhibits so genuinely.

"It was a day we will never forget, and we are already looking forward to their next visit, to enjoy the many other elements of the park. There's something for everyone."

Home Instead Exeter & East Devon owner/director Mark McGlade described some heart-warming moments where group members enjoyed memories, conversations and activities that were thought forgotten.

"It's been an amazing day. As dementia specialists we support our clients to enjoy each minute wherever they 'are' at that moment, as of course dementia can mean an altered sense of reality at times," he said.

"To see the sheer enjoyment of group members today as they shared memories and laughter, was wonderful. A highlight has to be Mary, and her friends enjoying a gentle go on the swings… Mary is 94 next week!"

Speaking on behalf of Colyton & Colyford Memory Café, chair Sue Whitell, said: "It's been a great day of new experiences and of fond memories – just perfect all round. We are really grateful to Home Instead and to World of Country Life for this treat and will be back."

Home Instead Exeter & East Devon works across the community to provide care and companionship to people within their own homes.

They also connect with other organisations and groups in order to offer free training and to signpost those in need, with a view to creating safer communities.

They are the only home care provider rated as 'outstanding in all five areas of inspection' by the sector regulator, the CQC, in the south-west region.

For further information regarding the free Community Talks initiative, home care services and specialist Dementia care from Home Instead, call 01395 200600, visit homeinstead.co.uk/exeter-east-devon or follow the company on Facebook.