Celebrating 200 years of Cadburys: chocolate giants delights residents with 'memory bar boxes'

Activity forms part of the brand’s partnership with Alzheimer’s Research UK to support the charity’s mission in accelerating progress towards a cure for dementia. 1,000 boxes distributed to care homes across the UK throughout Dementia Action Week.

To mark Dementia Action Week, staff and residents at Spen Court care home in Heckmondwike were delighted to be gifted beautiful branded memory boxes filled with retro Cadbury chocolate bars.

This inspirational idea came about through Cadbury’s work with Alzheimer’s Research UK, following requests from care homes and dementia support groups to the Cadbury archives for packaging no longer in circulation. Alongside Alzheimer’s Research UK, the business is working to create a nostalgic experience for those living with dementia, featuring iconic Dairy Milk bars, from as far back as 1915 until the present day.

The ‘Memory Bars’ form part of a wider package in the style of a memory box, which also features a digital download link, where people can find extra content, including classic posters and past packaging from other Cadbury products. The carefully selected archive material tells the story of an iconic British brand, this year celebrating its 200th anniversary, that has been part of people’s lives through generations, in moments big and small.

Since the opening of its first shop in Birmingham in 1824, Cadbury has delighted the nation with its confectionary and drinking chocolate. It has been with us throughout the everyday and seasonal moments, even popping out of our 99 ice cream cones on the beach. It’s the brand behind our favourite selection boxes, as well as the Cadbury Dairy Milk we unwind with on the sofa. Tastes we’ve known for generations – these have long been a part of Britain’s rich cultural history and the lives of Brits across generations.

But the brand’s impact over the past 200 years extends far beyond just creating delicious treats. Driven by a foundational spirit of generosity and kindness, Cadbury has helped nurture local communities and economies by investing in its factories, sites and employees. To mark the anniversary, Cadbury has partnered with Alzheimer’s Research UK, donating £200,000 to support research to one day find a cure for dementia and drive awareness of the condition. If nothing changes, one in two people will be affected by dementia in their lifetime, either by developing it themselves, caring for someone with the condition, or both. In doing so, Cadbury hopes to drive awareness around the fantastic work the charity does in helping to keep treasured memories alive for longer.

Staff and residents enjoyed watching the live event along with savouring the delicious chocolate, we did however manage to save some chocolate for us to have a baking session on Memory Lane, and Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chocolate Banana Brownie sounds right about perfect for us.

Paula Pearson, General Manager at Barchester’s Spen Court Care Home in Heckmondwike said: “Our approach to caring for residents living with dementia is focused on positivity and delivering person-centred care – it can be a complex condition and at times frustrating both for the person living with it and their loved ones, as they experience changes in their abilities. An activity that we have found to be beneficial in improving cognition and mood is designing group activities to help residents reminisce and take a trip back through time – a great way of stimulating conversation. Through its Memory Bar Boxes, Cadbury has brought joy to generations of people. The memorable wrappers brought positive happy stimuli during these activities and provided an opportunity to share memories and laughter together.”

Elise Burditt, Senior Marketing Director at Cadbury, comments: “As Cadbury turns 200 this year, there has been great excitement in celebrating the longstanding relationship between the brand and the British public. 200 years of products that have become part of our culture in life moments big and small. As part of the celebrations, we wanted to answer special requests that had been coming from care homes, dementia support groups and members of the public over the years, for nostalgic Cadbury wrappers and posters, which could provide a sense of comfort and connection to those living with dementia.

“Earlier this year, we announced our partnership with Alzheimer’s Research UK and released limited-edition Dairy Milk bars featuring iconic designs from 1915 to present day. And now those bars feature within these Memory Bar Boxes, which will be sent around the country to people affected by the condition. We are also donating £200,000 to support Alzheimer’s Research UK’s search for a cure for dementia and their work to drive awareness of the condition.”