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News
The latest from the Save The Dementia Gateway Campaign
Campaign Group Celebrate with Carers
Tuesday 13th May, 2025
Yesterday, campaigners from the Save The Gateway group gathered to celebrate. Everyone is delighted that this incredible centre will remain open, and that carers will be able to continue to use the Day Centre and other services here. Lead Campaigners Laura and Lisa were joined by Cllrs Pete Lowe and Andrew Tromans, as well as Stourbridge MP Cat Eccles.
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Cllr Pete Lowe, leader of the Dudley DIGGERS stated ‘We are proud of the motion put forward by Cllr Denning to save the Dementia Gateway and are reminded of the fantastic speech by Lisa on behalf of service users where she stated explicitly that ‘Dudley Gateway must remain open for Dementia services’. We are pleased that this offers reassurance to our service users that they can continue to attend the Day Centre at the Crystal Gateway in Brettel Lane. We will work with all to ensure this service is maintained and as was said so accurately ‘place and people before party politics’ and this will allow us to further protect and enhance dementia services over the coming years”.
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Keeping the Day Centre at the Crystal Gateway is key to so many people accessing such a vital service. The Campaigners and carers are overjoyed that the Council have listened to their voices and saved their lifeline.
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Carer's Support Group delight at saviour of the Dementia Gateway
Monday 12th May, 2025
Today Lisa and Laura were invited by Carers to attend their support group at The Crystal Gateway to celebrate securing the future of the centre.
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Carers are ecstatic that the Day Centre will remain open at the Brettell Lane building. Many simply couldn’t cope without it. Some have come to rely on the Day Centre and wouldn’t have been able to manage the day to day complexities of caring with someone for Dementia if they had to travel to the other side of the borough – for some a 40 minute journey.
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They are delighted that common sense prevailed in the end and that the Crystal Gateway, which sits centrally in the borough, can remain open. Laura said, “We are still extremely pleased that the Dementia Day Centre is keeping it’s home at the Crystal Gateway in Brettell Lane. The Crystal Gateway is more than ‘just a building’ and is perfect for so many of those who attend. It was a joy to celebrate with carers whom, just weeks ago, were in tears fearing that they would be unable to access this lifeline service in the future”.
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It would have been devastating for so many to see the Day Centre away moved from there. Now hopefully we will see the building used to its full potential around the Day Centre and, hopefully, see an enhanced service there for those living with Dementia and their carers.
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The carers presented Laura and Lisa with gifts and cards to show their appreciation for fighting for something so important on their behalf.
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We did it! We saved the Crystal Dementia Gateway!
Monday 28th April, 2025
Tonight Dudley Council voted to save the Crystal Gateway and gave commitment to prioritising Dementia Care in our borough.
We could not be more proud of our Lisa who gave a heart-warming speech in the Council Chamber tonight. She spoke from the heart and represented us all so beautifully!
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Thank you to all of the Councillors who have assisted in this campaign, specifically Cllr Karl Denning, who tabled the Notice of Motion to bring the issue into the Chamber, and to Cllrs Matt Cook, Andrew Tromans and Pete Lowe who have been excellent, passionate supporters.
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Thank you to everyone who has supported the campaign. There is still more to do as the Council reviews the future of Dementia Services. We finally have a voice, let it be heard so we can shape the future of the services that we rely on so heavily in such difficult times of life.
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Campaigners Protest Against Cuts to Dementia Services in Dudley
Thursday 20th March, 2025
Today, campaigners from Save the Dementia Gateway gathered in protest following Dudley Council’s decision to cut £500,000 from the Dementia Gateway budget, resulting in the closure of the Crystal Dementia Day Centre. The council’s plan to merge dementia day services with centres supporting individuals with profound and lifelong physical disabilities has sparked outrage among families, carers, and staff.
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The protest saw a strong turnout, with demonstrators not only opposing the devastating cuts but also standing in solidarity with dedicated staff members, who were kept in the dark about the changes until today—when redundancies were officially announced. Campaigners argue that these changes will have irreversible consequences for those living with dementia and their carers, many of whom rely on the service as a vital lifeline.
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The council are proposing a ‘new’ service in which they anticipate taking those living with Dementia out gardening and doing more interactive outdoor activities, however many who attend the Day Centre would find this incredibly difficult and would require their carer to remain with them. Currently, the centre provides fully supervised sessions allowing the carers some much needed respite which, many have told the group, allows them to continue caring for their loved ones at home.
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The campaign group has vowed to continue fighting for the retention of dementia services and to hold the council accountable for the impact of these cuts.
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