Rotherham Council has announced it will renew funding for the borough's network of dementia cafes, launching a competitive grant process worth at least £97,000 to keep the service running beyond March 2027. The cafes support people living with dementia and provide one-to-one help for unpaid carers, aiming to reduce isolation and prevent carer burnout, a service that charities and support organisations have praised amid rising demand.

A grant of £97,485 per year for three years is expected to be advertised this month, with a provider due to be appointed in October, ahead of the current agreement ending on 31 March next year. The cafes run in Brampton Bierlow, Brinsworth, Dalton, Maltby, Thurcroft, Whiston and Swinton, offering activities such as arts and crafts, music, singing and dancing, and a recent council survey found feedback was "overwhelmingly positive". The Alzheimer's Society said Rotherham has one of the best dementia diagnosis rates in the country, which has pushed referrals to around 230, up by 160 in the past year, and called for a more creative approach in future to better serve younger people and those from ethnically diverse backgrounds.