A University of Worcester expert on living well with dementia is putting in the miles alongside fellow experts and campaigners to promote a better understanding of the condition and drive change.
Dr Shirley Evans, Director of the University’s Association for Dementia Studies, is currently taking part in Walking the Talk for Dementia, a four-day walk and subsequent conference that brings people together from all over the world, combining lived experience and professional expertise.
The week-long event, finishing on July 4, unites people living with dementia, care partners, researchers, clinicians, artists, policy leaders, innovators and advocates in a bid to increase understanding through shared knowledge, and collaboration.
This year there are nearly 100 participants from 30 different countries.
“This is a really exciting and innovative event,” said Dr Evans. “This walk is important because it is much more than a pilgrimage, it is a movement towards greater understanding of dementia.”
She added: “After the first evening it became quite clear that I would learn so much from other people and that this would help me to bring a fresh perspective and insight into my work at the University as well as my dementia charity work as co-founder and Chair of Dementia Matters Here (fordshire). I am excited to put this into practice when I get back.”
In four days of walking, Dr Evans and her fellow walkers trek along various stretches of Spain’s famous Camino de Santiago trail, a historic and iconic network of ancient pilgrimage routes. They are covering 40 kilometres in total, finishing at Santiago de Compostela.
The event culminates in a two-day conference where participants reflect, connect and exchange resources, with the aim of driving future action and creating partnerships across disciplines, cultures and communities to create a lasting impact.
Dr Evans heard of the walk after people she had worked with in the dementia field took part in 2024.
“One of the best things is that you chat to people on the way and talk about your work and/or experiences in the dementia field and you learn so much,” she said. “People have the most amazing stories about how they came to be participating in Walking the Talk with many telling of how their personal experiences have led to them working in the field, often very unexpectedly.”
She added: “There are people here from 30 countries including the UK, Ireland, Indonesia, Costa Rica, the United States, Germany, Brazil and Spain. It is fantastic to meet with people who are so passionate about their work and have a drive to make real change.”