'Community hero' pub makes £1,000 donation to help Eastwood residents with dementia

A well-loved Eastwood pub has made yet another generous donation to support an initiative that helps local people with dementia.
The cheque was presented to Eastwood Memory Cafe at its regular Monday Club meeting this week.The cheque was presented to Eastwood Memory Cafe at its regular Monday Club meeting this week.
The cheque was presented to Eastwood Memory Cafe at its regular Monday Club meeting this week.

The Dog and Parrot on Nottingham Road chose to donate a whopping £1,000 to the Eastwood Memory Café after being shortlisted in the ‘Community Hero’ category at this year’s Great British Pub Awards.

David and Kathryn Boam, and their friendly staff, made it down to the final six in the awards, with all of the shortlisted pubs being awarded funding by sponsor Coca-Cola to help them continue with the community work that got them to the final.

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As well as being a popular real ale house, The Dog and Parrot is very much a community hub and does a huge amount of charitable fundraising.

From left: Coca-cola representative Sarah Smith, Eastwood Memory Cafe chairman Dianne Rowley and pub owners Kathryn Boam and Dave Boam.From left: Coca-cola representative Sarah Smith, Eastwood Memory Cafe chairman Dianne Rowley and pub owners Kathryn Boam and Dave Boam.
From left: Coca-cola representative Sarah Smith, Eastwood Memory Cafe chairman Dianne Rowley and pub owners Kathryn Boam and Dave Boam.

Its focus is on supporting ex-forces and other important causes that matter to the team and its customers, like The Children’s Air Ambulance, MS Society UK, Dementia UK and Cancer Research UK.

The bar at The Dog and Parrot is open to local groups and charities to use for free during the day – a service used by The Royal British Legion, the local National Trust group, local running clubs and many others, including the Eastwood Memory Café.

The team’s relationship with the Eastwood Memory Café goes back nearly four years, and the pub is home to the café’s Monday Club.

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Even when lockdown restrictions were in place, arrangements were made to continue with virtual Monday meetings each week, to support the essential routines of community members living with dementia.

And there was someone in the pub every Monday in case anyone still popped by.

Kathryn Boam, owner of The Dog and Parrot, said: “Our plan was always to set the pub up as a community hub, rather than just a business, and we’re proud to be so firmly rooted in our local community.

“When the country was in lockdown, we supported the most vulnerable and isolated members of The Dog and Parrot family, visiting them, delivering supplies, and calling them regularly – as well as helping people build and maintain their vital support networks, including via the services provided by the Eastwood Memory Café.

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“To be shortlisted at the Great British Pub Awards and recognised for our efforts means the world, and inspires us to carry on and do even more.”

Holly Firmin, senior community partnerships manager at Coca-Cola, added: “It’s been so inspiring to see how publicans have stepped up to support local people during the pandemic – despite many facing real challenges themselves.

“We’re pleased to be helping the team at The Dog and Parrot who continue to go above and beyond for local people from all backgrounds and of all ages.

“Funding this donation is our way of saying a huge well done and thank you.”