St George’s Dementia Research Café Shortlisted for Nursing Times Award

Bridging the gap between underrepresented communities and dementia research.

The Dementia Research Café, developed by teams at St George’s, has been shortlisted for a 2025 Nursing Times Award in the Clinical Research Nursing category.

This recognition celebrates the teamwork between dementia nurses, research nurses including Sittana Abdelmagid, the Chaplaincy team, and the Positive Network Community Project — a local African-Caribbean mental health charity. Together, they created a welcoming space for people to learn about dementia and research in a way that felt relevant and respectful to their culture.

In 2024, only 3.5% of patients at St George’s dementia clinic were from African or African-Caribbean backgrounds, despite these communities having higher dementia rates. The café aimed to reduce this gap by raising awareness, building trust, and encouraging research participation.

Moira Rowan, Dementia and Delirium CNS Team Lead, said: “Underrepresentation has always been an issue in our dementia clinic, so I was really excited when Sittana brought this idea to us. Dementia is a scary topic for many, and everyone has their own beliefs around it, so we knew we had to approach it sensitively. Sitting through a whole day of information can be overwhelming, so we broke it up with different activities to keep it engaging and accessible. The event came together beautifully – clinical teams, chaplaincy, and the community working as one.”

Co-designed with community leaders trained as Research Champions, the café was held in a familiar local venue. Activities included myth-busting games, talks on brain health and research, group discussions, Q&A sessions, and a samba dance led by a 90-year-old dancer.

Sittana Abdelmagid, Research Matron, said: “There is a misconception that research is just clinical trials and testing new drugs, but much research involves simple blood tests or surveys. Communities learned how important it is for Black communities to take part in research. We also learned they want to feel informed and included throughout — not just approached once and then forgotten. They want a relationship.”

Run by Reverend Pauline Dawkins, the café welcomed over 40 attendees, including people living with dementia and carers. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many hoping for more events like this.

Pauline said: “Being part of the Dementia Research Café has been an enjoyable experience and a lovely opportunity to consider my community’s thinking around research in dementia.”

The café’s success has inspired plans for future events, including one focused on arthritis. Pauline and the Chaplaincy team are also training as Dementia Champions to better support patients.

Selected from a record-breaking 750 applications across all categories, this award shortlisting highlights the impact when healthcare teams and communities work together, combining clinical care, spiritual support, and local insight.

The Nursing Times Awards take place on 22 October, after a judging panel in September. Meanwhile, the team continues to develop this work and explore new ways to engage underserved communities.

Congratulations to everyone involved in this inspiring project — and good luck.