Having grown up in a care home, Cam told Express he has a unique perspective on Alderney’s ageing population and is keen to promote the Foundation – a non-profit charity that trains caregivers to support those living with dementia on the island.
“I had a very unique childhood, I grew up in Alderney, but my parents ran an old people’s home in Southhampton and my school was right next to it,” he said.
Cam continued by explaining that Alderney has one of the oldest populations in the world and therefore has a unique struggle with its ageing population.
“I think I was just surprised that no one’s ever brought up the reports from Dr. Nicola Brink [Director of Public Health] about the 72% of people who are over 65 in Alderney” he said.
He added that: “When I saw that there was this huge demographic problem that no one’s really talking about, I realised that Milly’s Foundation is going to probably be the only charity that could step in.”
In a 2023 report published by the Director of Public Health for Guernsey and Alderney it was stated that Alderney’s elderly dependency ratio was 0.68, compared to Guernsey’s 0.31 and Jersey’s 0.24. Currently, Alderney’s hospital is also functioning as a nursing home, providing healthcare and critical support for local citizens.
Pictured: Statistics from Dr Brink’s demographic report.
Milly’s Foundation
Milly’s Foundation was founded in 2014 by Colin Williams, whose wife Milly suffered with dementia. Colin wanted to support other families, like his, who are living with dementia, by providing them with the resources and aid that he did not have access to.
After receiving a charity appeal donation, Colin started his foundation. It has since trained over 55 local businesses and professionals to support those living with memory loss. The charity has also published a book titled ‘Dementia – A Practical Guide for Family Carers’ written by Brenda Walker.
The book provides practical help for carers, helping to educate those looking after a friend or family member living with dementia. The book is now available from the Connaught Care Home.
Cam’s mum describes caring for others with the Welsh word “hywl”, which is used to express motivation and enthusiasm.
Pictured: Dementia – A Practical Guide for Family Carers.
Milly’s Foundation works closely with the island’s only care home to provide activities such as arts and crafts, poetry and more, to bring joy to the residents. It also provides training and support for caregivers dealing with dementia.
“My mum is a volunteer at Milly’s Foundation, so she offers her time to do something for carers who need a break,” said Cam.
“But if they don’t have the training around dementia specifically, which is of course what Milly’s Foundation offers, then there’s a difference between just taking care of someone and actually being enthusiastic for that person.”
Cam recently created a website for ‘Milly’s Foundation’ which includes a PayPal link for donations to support the charity further.
When asked about what others can do to help the Foundation, Cam said: “They have a website where you can make donations by PayPal. People can also get involved if they want, to have some of the training that we organise on the island.”
WATCH: Cam’s video highlights Alderney’s support of its elderly population, and how vital ‘Milly’s Foundation’ is in this role.
“I realised that my skill set in filmmaking is much better used to get across ideas that we’re all trying to talk about, instead of just letting it become a talking point in the pubs, which often becomes the narrative that everyone latches on to,” Cam said, when talking about the video.
“So, I wanted to change that by making good videos that would set the standard of the narrative that we’re trying to convey.”
When asked about future projects Cam said, “I’ve got a run of interesting projects… [including] a short film called Sunrise, which we shot on the island of Alderney last year”.
He said the new drama film will focus on mental health and will be released during suicide awareness week.