The 2025 Disruption Awards: Why Your Idea Could Be Our Next Inspiration
Every year, when the final reports from our award‑holders land in the inbox of our wonderful Trustees, they are reminded why they love being part of this great Charity.
One day it’s a creative film developed by South Asian carers of people with dementia. The next, it’s a Caribbean elder laughing as she “walks” through a Windrush‑era street in VR.
These aren’t huge, headline‑grabbing breakthroughs—at least not at first. They’re small sparks that grow into everyday miracles for people living with dementia and the families who love them.
That’s exactly what the Dementia Trust Disruption Awards 2025 are here to nurture, and as of today applications are open.
From kitchen‑table ideas to real‑world change
When the Dementia Trust started the Awards over ten years ago, we hoped to catch ideas that traditional funders might miss—too rough, too grassroots, too bold. The projects we’ve backed since have proved that instinct right:
Windrush 3D VR Museum Tour gave elders a chance to relive treasured memories and opened fresh conversations about race, identity and dementia.
Voices of my past has been part of a national Dementia Conference evidencing the difference you can make in working with people with dementia with auditory hallucinations.
Carer Coaching from Dementia Carers Count brought carers back from the brink through one-to-one coaching to help them back into work
LUTO Digital Memory Wall began as a sketch and now has a successful pilot and will find it ways into homes making a difference to both carers and people with dementia.
For me, as Trust Advisor, seeing those sparks catch fire is honestly the most motivating part of my week.
What we’re offering in 2025
Up to £15,000 to test, pilot or grow your idea
A named Advisor (often me!) who’ll be a sounding board, cheerleader and occasional reality‑checker
Expect generosity, honesty and a lot of laughter
Comms support so your story reaches the people who need to hear it most
And yes, you keep your intellectual property—we just ask to share the learning
Our only non‑negotiable? You must design with people who live with dementia, not just for them. Lived experience is our north star.
A quick, human‑sized application
Stage 1 is a short online form—roughly the time it takes to drink a cuppa and dunk a biscuit. Tell us who you are, what you want to change and why it matters.
Stage 2 is a friendly chat. We explore feasibility, fit and—most importantly—passion. No glossy decks required.
Key dates:
Launch 2 June 2025
Stage 1 deadline 9 July 2025
Decisions 1 September 2025
Need guidance? Join one of our free webinars on 5 June (1 pm) or 18 June (12:30 pm). I’ll be there, ready to answer anything—from “Do I need a budget line for biscuits?” (answer: only if they are custard creams) to “Can I apply if my group isn’t yet a charity?” (answer: yes, with references).
Why we call them “Disruption” Awards
Because gentle disruption changes the temperature of a room. It nudges assumptions, turns a scared silence into a ripple of song, or places a VR headset on a 90‑year‑old who thought tech had passed her by. Disruption doesn’t have to be loud—it just has to make us see dementia in a new light.
Ready to begin?
Download the Stage 1 form
Glance at the FAQs (they’re plain English, I promise)
Book your webinar spot if you’d like a guided tour
Email me anytime at advisor@dementiatrust.org.uk
Deadline: 9 July 2025, 23:59 BST. But don’t wait—ideas love breathing room.
I can’t wait to read what you’re dreaming up next. Who knows? A doodle on your kitchen table today could be the story that inspires me—and many others—this time next year.
Sonia
Trust Advisor, Dementia Trust