AN afternoon tea at the Aztec Hotel & Spa celebrated all those making a difference to the lives of people affected by dementia across the city, as Bristol Dementia Action Alliance held its awards ceremony for 2026.
Actor and BBC Radio Bristol presenter Joe Sims hosted the event for the third year running. He thanked everyone in the room for leaving the world a nicer place than they found it and shone a light on all the brilliant individuals, groups and organisations making a difference to the lives of those affected by dementia.
BDAA was delighted by the number of nominations received this year. The awards highlight the fantastic work taking place across the city to raise dementia awareness and support those impacted by dementia. The deciding panel included experts from organisations other than BDAA.
Acknowledging all the finalists, BDAA added: “Being recognised as a finalist is a fantastic achievement, and we are grateful to everyone who took the time to nominate and celebrate the amazing work happening across Bristol.
“A massive thank you to the Aztec Hotel & Spa for their wonderful hospitality, to all our sponsors for helping make the awards possible, and to our fantastic volunteers who worked so hard behind the scenes.
“And last, but definitely not least, a huge thank you to the brilliant Joe Sims, who once again hosted the awards with such warmth and enthusiasm. We are so grateful that he gave up his time to help make the afternoon so special. Congratulations to everyone involved. You should all be incredibly proud.”
BDAA chairperson William O’Neill said: “These awards shine a spotlight on the extraordinary people and organisations helping to make Bristol a more dementia-aware city. The standard of nominations was exceptionally high and reflects the passion and commitment of those supporting people affected by dementia every day. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and the positive impact they have across our communities.”
Any businesses, organisations or groups wanting to apply for the awards next year can contact BDAA on office@bdaa.org.uk to express their interest.
BDAA AWARDS 2026
Barbara Award: Collegiate School
Community Care Award: Home Instead Bristol North
Community Fundraiser Award: Teresa Grunshaw
Corporate Fundraiser Award: Briggs & Forrester Engineering
Place of Worship Award: Westbury Baptist Church
Volunteer of the Year Award: Mary Jones
Corporate Award: Wessex Water
Dementia Hero Award: Beverley Forrester
Dementia Friendly Space Award: Age UK Bristol
Innovation Award: Mini Concerts
Organisation Award: Co-op Avonmouth & Your Care South-West
VCSE Organisation Award: Alive Activities
Residential Care Award: Bristol Care Homes
Informal Carer Award: Teresa Grunshaw
Small Business Award: Sweet Silent Disco
Dementia Research Award: Brace Dementia Research
Special Recognition Award: Dr Julie Clayton