Anderley Wade and Clare Jones both had experience of family members who struggled with dementia and social isolation. So they teamed up to deliver a support service of the highest standards for those experiencing these issues in their locality of Sussex and Surrey. Clare has now moved on to fulfil her love of travel and photography.
Tapestry offers stimulating and friendly care within the family home of a thoroughly vetted and trained host, allowing older people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible, while giving carers a much-needed break.
They created the name Tapestry Day Club to encapsulate the idea that everyone has a life story, a rich tapestry. And integrity runs through the fabric of their service.
Tapestry Day Club’s vision is to create a supportive and enriching environment, where people living with dementia can engage, connect and thrive, fostering a community of compassion, understanding and dignity.
Our mission is to provide a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment within a family-home setting, to enable a small group of people living with dementia a place to engage in social interaction, meaningful activities and receive compassionate care that enhances their quality of life and supports their families and carers.
Our values and behaviours are what we stand for and believe in.
They are the principles, ideals and characteristics that define the culture, standards and aspirations of Tapestry Day Club.
H – HIGH QUALITY
At all times, we strive to provide a high-quality day out for our guests, tailored to their personal needs, where every guest is treated with respect, dignity and compassion, ensuring their health and happiness is at the forefront of our minds.
E – EMPATHY
We support our guests with care and empathy by understanding their experiences, listening to their needs, and responding with compassion and respect. We strive to be constant, good listeners and always open to learn from our guests.
A – ACCOUNTABILITY
We take ownership of our work, honouring our commitments and acting with professionalism, honesty and integrity at all times. Every decision we make prioritises the well-being and dignity of our guests, making sure we are accountable at all times.
R – RESPECT
Respect is the foundation of our support. Our commitment to respect our guests guides us in providing care that not only meets their physical needs, but also nurtures emotional well-being.
T – TRUST
Trust is hard earned, but easily lost. It is the cornerstone of our support. We are dedicated to building and maintaining the confidence of our guests and their carers through consistent, compassionate, trustworthy and reliable support.
Tapestry Day Club embraces equality, diversity and inclusion as core values. We are dedicated to providing a welcoming and respectful environment, where every individual, regardless of background, culture or ability, is valued and supported. Our approach celebrates the uniqueness of each person, fostering a community where differences are not just accepted, but cherished, ensuring that everyone feels seen, heard and cared for.
Having started out as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2019, we made the big investment in time and money to become a fully fledged charity, a Corporate Charitable Organisation (CIO), in 2024 to help us expand in order to support more people.
We pride ourselves in giving the carers of our guests meaningful respite time. In 2022, we provided more than 6,500 respite hours. In 2023, this rose to more than 11,000 hours, representing an increase of 71% year-on-year. This equates to guests enjoying nearly 2,000 club days, with 17% of guests attending twice a week and 3% joining us three times per week.
We conducted a survey in May 2024 to find out the extent of the value of our support service and for feedback as to how we can improve. Benefits to both the guest and their carer are key indicators of our success. We have captured a handful of responses from each below:
“Tapestry provides enormously beneficial social and emotional support time for my wife. Friendships are made and it gives structure to her week, something else to talk about and look forward to”
“He is much happier, looks forward to the day, it has reduced his feeling of isolation and he is much more engaged at home now”
“She looks forward to going each week, always says what lovely food she has had and what lovely people her hosts are. She comes home with a big smile on her face and always says that she’s had a lovely time”
“He seems to enjoy meeting up only with a small number of people. When meeting with larger groups, he did not like it at all and it made him depressed”
“New people to think about, something to look forward to, a feeling that he is valued and has something to offer others instead of feeling left behind mentally and physically by the pace of our usual social interactions”
“Secure in the knowledge that Mum will eat a hot meal as she is happier eating outside of home. Plus she loves the company. It gives me much-needed respite, time when I am not worrying about her feeling isolated, so I can relax and get on with my own life”
“The respite offered is amazing. The hosts are the most kind and lovely people. I have absolutely no worries about leaving my Mum. I know she is being well looked after, and I have time to do things I wouldn’t otherwise”
“I can stop being alert, permanently on call. Instead, I can just relax at home or do something for my health and well-being, such as inviting friends round, reading or gardening”
“I know my husband is in a safe place and being stimulated for a few hours. I do a yoga class and meet friends while he is there”
“We have found TDC fabulous to keep my Mum socialising and out and about meeting people”
“If I roll back all those years, why we started this all, it was sort of in the name of our fathers, there was nothing like Tapestry Day Club around at that point. It was just alot of communities centres. And, they needed something a little bit more small and cozy. So going out for lunch with friends.”
Why Clare and Anderley are passionate about why they set up TDC
