Our Founders and Welcome Volunteers
Dianne Smith - Co-Founder
Dianne works for University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust to ensure that a strategy for dementia care is
in place and implemented, following national expectations as an acute hospital trust. She has developed a
skilled workforce, including dementia champions, on all their hospital sites. She has developed a unique
passport for people with dementia and cognitive impairment, introduced and implemented the Butterfly Scheme
and designed, with help of a nutritional dementia team, a menu to cater to specific needs where required.
Dianne is keen to link with primary health and social care colleagues to improve the quality of care
delivered and understands the importance of working in partnership with families and carers to ensure we
provide stability and continuity for the person with dementia or cognitive impairment whilst in hospital.
She also has a personal interest and desire to develop services due to her dad having lived with vascular
dementia, which encourages her passion to make a difference.
Dr Penny Foulds - Co-Founder
Originally a science teacher, Penny became interested in Alzheimer's after her grandparents developed the
disease. She was given the opportunity to undertake a PhD at Lancaster University, and afterwards continued
her research into the biochemistry of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative conditions.
Alex Burton
Alex Burton was diagnosed in 2011 with early onset dementia. Dismayed at finding no support for himself after his diagnosis,
he believed many others would be in the same position. Not wishing to just accept that there was little provision for people
recently diagnosed and supported through the condition, he came up with the idea of a 'one-stop shop' of information and support and hence our
'Hub' Initiative was born.