Cause of Petition: The inevitable cessation of funding by Brent for Friends of African/Caribbean Carers and Sufferers of Dementia Charity (FACCSD) The lack of funding for the charity has now put the charity in a position where it will no longer be able to provide respite care for the carers and support for the families and loved ones of sufferers of dementia. FACCSD provide respite care to carers and the suffers of dementia and also support their families and loved ones. FACCSD are the only charity in Brent and the UK that specifically cater for the African/Caribbean Community at grass roots level in the fight against this disease. Brent is the most culturally diverse borough in the whole of the EU and also has the highest number of sufferers of dementia among the Black Minority Ethnic (BME) in the UK. From statistics taken in 2009, show that Brent had 836 sufferers with late onset dementia set to rise to 1618. Statistics also showed that Brent had 2431 sufferers with late onset dementia and these figures did not reflect those suffering from early onset dementia. Brent should also take into account that FACCSD do not close their doors to sufferers outside this group as our ethos is “When Culture Matters”. Charities such as Alzheimer’s UK and Age UK have used the knowledge of FACCSD in order to put their own strategies in place for dealing with the BME communities in the UK that sufferer from dementia. Many carers and families contact FACCSD charity because individual cultural needs are a high priority within the charity. Due to the stigma and myths associated with dementia within the BME community, many are too frightened to go to their GP’s so they slip through the net and suffer in silence. FACCSD have been in existence for 14 year and have been the support mechanism for many families. FACCSD understand carers and sufferers whereas other mainstream charities, due to cultural differences have been unable to penetrate the BME communities. The governments new care contract stragagy will be detrimental for dementia carers and sufferers. Brent’s multi-disciplinary team, that deal with the preliminary assessments of contract procurement, Seem to be favouring the borough’s large mainstream charities when awarding the care contracts. The article titled “106 carers in a year took away dementia patient’s right to dignity, says wife” Telegraph newspaper, Saturday 19th May 2012 is an example of this. The government are currently at war with dementia, we believe they are taking away what is most probably their best line of defense in their fight to tackle dementia within the BME community. We find it hard to believe that Brent are prepared to devastate, harm, tear apart the lives of people and tear down the trust that FACCSD has painstakingly build up in the community over 14 yrs. We, the undersigned are against the decision which the council have made to cut the funding by not awarding a contract for the following reasons: .None of the mainstream charities provide dementia support for the sufferers and carers on a cultural grass roots foundation level or can penetrate and deal with issues that arise through cultural differences. .The information which is supplied by the mainstream charities is based on one culture, whereas we treat every person as an individual and always allocate the same carer to the sufferer to minimise the distress that multiple carers can cause. .The service users of FACCSD are vulnerable and therefore would be devastated if the project were to cease. .The service users of FACCSD have learned to trust the services provided especially in a crisis. .Through the FACCSD Dementia Awareness Program, it has been established that there are large numbers of the BME community suffering in silence because mainstream charities have not been able to address their needs. We are therefore supporting FACCSD in appealing against the decision to cease their funding as they provide a valuable service to our community. We, the undersigned, want the Brent Council to: .Offer FACCSD the chance to apply for a contract so they may continue to give respite, advocacy,dementia awareness and support in Brent. .Allow FACCSD to maintain the platform to give and provide information locally and nationally. .Continue the work that they have already done creating dementia awareness for BME communities locally and nationally.

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