There are many studies showing the impact that Union Learning Rep’s (ULRs) and union led learning have in the workplace, but many ULRs use their talents in projects which improve the skills and well-being of the local community. Especially in companies like Tesco where community involvement is supported by the business. 

Trish Baldwin, Usdaw ULR at the Tesco Hard Road store in Hull, is a good example of a rep whose work on dementia has had a real impact on both those in the store and those outside. 

Trish said:

I first got interested in learning more about dementia and the effect it has on the person and their family when I saw the work being done by Community Care, a local organisation that looks after people with dementia.

They come into the customer cafe once a month for afternoon tea. They take over half of the cafe and decorate the tables with tablecloths and cake stands using proper tea pots to make it a bit old fashioned for them.

It helps people with dementia to remember."

Trish’s first involvement came when she dealt with a customer whose husband had dementia:

She was really struggling so I told her about Community Care and said we were doing the afternoon tea that week and she was more than welcome to come along. She came for the tea and was able to speak to the staff about what options are open to her and her husband."

A couple of weeks later Trish helped to solve a problem when a customer with the symptoms of dementia became confused. 

Trish said:

Fortunately, one of the ladies on checkouts recognised him and realised what was going on. She spoke to the duty manager to let them know what was happening and they managed to get him home safe to his wife."

Realising that this was an issue that needed to be tackled, Trish used her skills as a ULR to set up a dementia training day at the store. It was delivered by another ULR from the York store who was also a dementia champion. 

Trish was really pleased with the way things turned out and said:

We managed to get 36 staff members and three local police officers trained that day. It created such a buzz in store that we decided that we needed to be trained to deliver it ourselves.

Now three managers, myself and another Usdaw rep are enrolled to do the course in Grimsby with MIND."

Trish’s aim now is for the store to be dementia friendly. 

Trish continued:

We need to have 80% of our staff members trained as dementia friends. People who have done the training say how much it has helped them to understand the issues and how confident they feel about looking after our customers.

The store manager and the people manager are absolutely thrilled about the success of the course and are very excited about the fact that we will be able to deliver the course ourselves."

The work is also having an impact on the wider community with Trish being asked to run briefings elsewhere in Hull and staff signposting customers to support with Community Care. 

Trish said the benefits are already becoming apparent:

A member of staff, Lorraine, who attended the training told me a lovely story the other day. She dealt with an elderly couple, one of whom has dementia, and directed them to Community Care. They now go on a regular basis. He loves it and she does too because she gets more time to herself and he's happy.

Lorraine also explained that when they come in store to shop they can be assisted where the lady said, 'you're kidding, you can really do that?' 'Yes of course we can that's what we're here for' she replied."