Real stories

‘All that she was’: A Cupcake Day celebration

Nicky Smith’s mother, Kate Goshawk, lived in Suffolk for most of her life before moving close to Nicky in Earls Barton, near Wellingborough. Kate, who had Alzheimer’s, was living in Grangefield, a local care home, by the time she died in 2017. Nicky decided to hold an event at the home the following Cupcake Day as a way to commemorate and celebrate her life.

‘Mum was a keen baker – one of her first jobs was in a bakery – so it was appropriate,’ says Nicky. 

Holding an event at the care home also meant it could involve people who knew Kate in later life, but who hadn’t been able to travel to her funeral in Suffolk. As well as supporting us, Nicky wanted to raise awareness about how to help people affected by dementia to live as well as possible. 

‘I really wanted to bring in Dementia Friends,’ she says. ‘Mum was someone who always wanted to support charities and do good things.’
 

A full room 

Promoting the event through her local church and village magazine, Nicky arranged a Dementia Friends information session at Grangefield followed by tea and cake for Cupcake Day. 

‘Pretty much everyone who went said what a great event it had been,’ says Nicky.

‘It went down very well,’ says Nicky. ‘The cupcakes were obviously popular! We had a full room, with friends from the church, the local community and Grangefield staff. The care home was very happy to support the event and very helpful. 

‘Pretty much everyone who went said to me, on the day or afterwards, what a great event it had been.’ 

Nicky’s daughter Julia, who works at the Society in London, helped as well. 

‘I created a photoboard full of pictures of Gran to share with everyone there,’ says Julia. ‘People were so generous, both donating and buying cakes from the stand. It was such an easy way to fundraise and a lovely way to remember my gran.’ 

Nicky agrees, ‘It just felt like a really nice celebration of Mum’s life and all that she was.’
 

Encouraging all 

As well as the fun of baking, sharing and eating cupcakes, Nicky hopes this kind of event encourages everyone affected by dementia to seek support. 

‘It’s getting as many people as involved as possible, because this is something that affects so many families.’