Community Compassion and Continuity: Evaluating Beacon’s Model of Support for Families Affected by Dementia in Rossendale, East Lancashire
Parallel 1
17 November, 2026 12:00 – 1:10 pmMini Presentations Group 1
Rachel Yates Hoyles is a National Practice Innovation Lead with 25 years of experience across health, social care and dementia support. She is co-founder of Beacon Dementia and Wellbeing, an award-winning community charity in Rossendale, and a national award winner recognised for her leadership and innovation in dementia care.
Lisa Markey is Project Coordinator for Beacon Dementia and Wellbeing, supporting the development and delivery of community-based dementia support for people living with dementia and their families. She plays a key role in coordinating Beacon’s projects and helping ensure that people are welcomed into compassionate, practical and relationship-based support.
Lisa Markey
Dementia Project Coordinator
Beacon Dementia and Wellbeing

Lisa Markey is Project Coordinator for Beacon Dementia and Wellbeing, supporting the development and delivery of community-based dementia support for people living with dementia and their families. She plays a key role in coordinating Beacon’s projects and helping ensure that people are welcomed into compassionate, practical and relationship-based support.
Summary
This presentation shares the story and emerging learning from Beacon Dementia and Wellbeing, a community-rooted charity supporting people living with dementia and the families around them. It will explore Beacon’s model of “walking with and alongside” families through building trusted relationships, advocacy, emotional support and compassionate presence.
The session will highlight how Beacon has grown with and alongside its community, shaped by lived experience and family need. It will include the UK’s first dementia-friendly community shed, where people living with dementia come to make, mend and simply be with others. It will also outline how we are evaluating this relationship-based model to understand its impact on people living with dementia, carers and families. Attendees will gain insight into a community-led approach that shows how trust, continuity and connection can create strong foundations of support.



