Unforgettable.org
Unforgettable is a company set up to provide products, advice, and a supportive community to help all those affected by dementia.
The story of Unforgettable was first conceived when founder James Ashwell was caring for his own mother, who had frontotemporal dementia. He found that he and his family struggled to find a range of products that could help her live well and stay happy.
What’s more, he was finding out about the different issues surrounding dementia at the point of crisis, and lurching from one challenge to the next, with little idea of what to expect next.
After she passed away in 2011, he decided that he wanted to set up a site where dementia carers could find products that could help with the different challenges of dementia, but which would also provide advice and information on challenges, and a supportive community and forum to provide tips on how to live better. That’s when he came up with the idea for Unforgettable.
Ultimately, James’ end goal is to help people with dementia stay at home for as long as possible and he believes products and advice are key with this. From practical products to aid independence or prevent falls such as simple mobile phones, GPS trackers or grab rails, to fun activities to keep someone with dementia stimulated, engaged and happy, such as dementia jigsaws and reminiscence aids, his aim is to ensure Unforgettable is the leading marketplace for dementia products and services.
"From my own experience with my Mum, I know just how hard dementia can be, not just for the person living with the condition, but also their carers,” says James. “There is a quiet army of carers and professionals dedicated to supporting all those living with dementia, and I want Unforgettable to be able to support them.
Unforgettable is a social business with a definite mission – to help all those affected by dementia. The company is one of the UK’s founding B Corp members, which means it wants to use business as a force for good.
We are legally required to consider the impact of our decisions on ALL stakeholders (which includes workers, suppliers, community and the environment), and not, like typical businesses, just our shareholders. We aspire to benefit all involved. Whatever steps we take as a business, we will always take into consideration the impact that our decisions will have on all people involved, and strive to ensure they are in everyone’s best interests.
Unforgettable also has an independent charitable foundation with three expert trustees – the Unforgettable Foundation. It receives annually 10% of profits from Unforgettable Trading Limited, or £10,000, whichever is higher.
The Foundation has three founding principles – to lower the risk of dementia, break the taboo of the condition and help with earlier diagnosis. It aims to further the social impact of Unforgettable by focusing on people with dementia from disadvantaged and underserved communities and improve education and awareness.