The training programme was designed by the organisation’s dementia champion and learning and development team along with the Norfolk and Suffolk Dementia Alliance and the Alzheimer’s Society. The East of England Co-op help a launch event with staff to promote the benefits of completing the voluntary training programme and in its first month over 1000 employees had accessed the e-learning system.

The programme blends e-learning, face-to-face training and a powerful simulation exercise. The unique ‘shopping in their shoes’ experience sees colleagues wear an age simulation suit (GERT suit) that is designed to age the wearer by 30 years, distorting their senses and making movement more difficult. The trainee is then asked to complete tasks such as entering a shop and finding a basic list of items to purchase; not one person from the senior managers’ training session completed the task successfully highlighting some of the challenges that older people may face.

The East of England Co-op is now seen as a trailblazer after being asked to be part of the Dementia Friendly Businesses pilot led by the Alzheimer’s Society. It has developed close working partnerships with Dementia Alliance and Age UK and often works in the community running dementia awareness sessions with local schools and scout groups. The East of England Co-op has created a unique approach to differentiate its business, has developed its loyal pool of employees and has delivered significant benefits to local individuals and the community.