Richmond MP Rishi Sunak called in to a memory café set up for sufferers of dementia and helped serve up tea and cake.

Mr Sunak was invited to visit the Forget Me Not café which was established 18 months ago in Stokesley Methodist Church.

He lent a hand distributing cups of tea and home-made cake to the café members, their carers and the volunteers that help to run it.

Katherine Atha, café co-ordinator, said the café was established to provide support to dementia sufferers and those who looked after them.

She said: “It is essentially a friendship group which is valued by sufferers and their carers who we know often feel isolated and need support. Carers tell us they relish the opportunity to meet each other in a safe and supportive environment.”

Mrs Atha said the café, which is open on the last Tuesday of the month from 2pm to 3.30pm, complimented the dementia day care offered on Mondays and Wednesdays by the Stokesley Community Care Centre.

Activities are low-key with table games and group discussions the most popular.

Mr Sunak said: “The volunteers do a tremendous job in creating a supportive environment for those with memory issues and their carers. I wanted to thank them for all that they do to help those with this most challenging and increasingly prevalent of conditions.”