Introducing The Lavender Lounge Dementia Cafe
Launched on 27th March, 2025, the Lavender Lounge Dementia Cafe in Farnborough is now open. We'd love for you to join us!
What is the Lavender Lounge Dementia Cafe, and Who is it For?
If you missed the piece in Surrey Live, the Lavender Lounge Dementia Cafe at The Field Centre in Southwood Country Park, Farnborough, will first and foremost, a community group hosted entirely free of charge by us here at Home Instead Farnborough, Farnham, and Fleet. It will be a place where community members from all walks of life can meet and where those with dementia, and their carers can feel part of their wider neighbourhood. A place where you can sit for a moment with a hot cup of tea or coffee and enjoy a lovely slice of cake completely free of charge.
We have chosen The Field Centre in Southwood Country Park as our location because it offers you and your loved one 57 hectares of natural open space. A beautiful place to find some peace and quiet and even a little exercise along its wetlands, brook and woodland.
Why offer the Lavender Lounge as a Southwood dementia cafe?
Because we offer home care to those with dementia, we see first-hand how isolating the condition can be for the individuals, their carers, and their families. And we want to change that.
We want to reach out and offer you a space to visit with us, share your stories, and build new friendships. A place to connect with others in a friendly and understanding environment. Where we can walk our journeys together.
What Can You Expect at The Lavender Lounge Farnborough?
We would love for The Lavender Lounge to be a space where you feel comfortable, regardless of whether Mum or Dad is having a less lucid day or their dementia has progressed. To achieve this, we chose a space that has a good amount of room for you and your loved one to move about. We’ve also introduced the scent of lavender because it has a calming effect on our limbic system, which processes emotions (via the amygdala) and forms new memories (in the hippocampus).
A space where trained care professionals are onsite with a good understanding of dementia and behaviours associated with the condition.
A space where you can find a friendly ear when you need it and help to cover you if you need to make an important call or simply enjoy a moment for yourself. You can also use it as a space to catch up with friends.
Most of all we want to build a sense of community. We will host guest speakers who will cover a wide range of topics, from local walks and gardening clubs to National Trust spaces and dementia-related topics.
And there will be a range of dementia activities for Mum and Dad to engage in.
News From Farnborough's Lavender Lounge Grand Opening
We are beyond thrilled to announce the successful launch of the Lavender Lounge Dementia Café at The Field Centre in Southwood Country Park!
A huge thank you to Cllr Mara Makunura for officially cutting the ribbon and marking this special moment with us!
We’re also incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us to celebrate. The feedback has been amazing, with guests praising the cosy, welcoming atmosphere, the friendly staff, and the perfectly sized space. One visitor shared, “It is a lovely venue with very nice and friendly staff.”
Cllr Mara Makunura said of the Lavender Lounge, “It’s a great initiative from Home instead and a much-needed resource in the community.”
We’d love for you to come visit us at your local Dementia Cafe. Here are the details.
Lavender Lounge Dementia Cafe Location and Opening Times
2:30−4pm
Last Thursday of every month
The Field Centre, Southwood, Country Park.
No booking is needed.
For more information call 01252 758 716.
Accessibility: The Field Centre has fully accessible toilets and two disabled parking spaces directly outside the main door.
The central FREE car park is just a short walk away.
See you soon.
