Rebecca Scott, Community Fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society, explains why the charity’s work is so crucial to the North East…
Alzheimer’s Society is the UK’s leading dementia support and research charity, here for anyone affected by any form of dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We provide information and practical and emotional support to help people live well with dementia, and we invest in world-class research with the ultimate goal of defeating it.
We also campaign to improve public understanding of dementia and the devastating impact it can have, and make sure it’s taken seriously and acted on by our governments. At Alzheimer’s Society, we believe passionately that life doesn’t end when dementia begins. We are here for anyone affected by dementia, and we do everything we can to keep people with dementia connected to their lives and the people who matter most.
There are currently over 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, with numbers set to rise to over 1 million by 2021. In the North East alone, there are over 35,000 people living with dementia, and shockingly, more than 1,125 of these people live in the North Durham constituency alone.
My role as a Community Fundraiser is vitally important, to raise funds in the North East region to help contribute to supporting as many families living with dementia as possible, as well as continue to fund vital research and campaigns across the country, and ultimately allow Alzheimer’s Society to continue to lead the fight against dementia.
I first became involved with Alzheimer’s Society after I lost my grandmother to Alzheimer’s disease in June 2011. Seeing first-hand what devastating effects the disease had on Nana and our family really spurred me on to give some time volunteering in our local fundraising group in early 2013. From this my interest in fundraising began to grow.
The difference we were able to make as a team was great, and I got a real boost from hearing what our total amounted to after every event! Our first big success was raising more than £5,000 at the Chester-Le-Street Memory Walk in 2013, an event that now, in its fifth year, we hope will raise more than £25,000.
I was successfully recruited into the Community Fundraiser role in September 2013, and it’s been so rewarding to watch our efforts go from strength to strength, and see the profile of dementia rise in the North East.
Our Christmas Fair, taking place on Saturday 14th November, has been held at the local Chester-Le-Street office for the last few years, and this festive season we wanted to take it to a bigger level. With the support of the brilliant volunteers across County Durham, we will be taking over the Upper Room of Cornerstones Centre for the Community in Chester-Le-Street from 10am-2pm, with all kinds of stalls and gift ideas to get people in the Christmas spirit.
On the day, attendees can expect to enjoy our special festive raffle, with prizes from Frazer Hart, Maften Hall and Newcastle Gateshead Marriott, in addition to tombolas, Christmas gifts and decorations, and cakes made especially by our volunteers. Plus, we have special guests hosting their own stalls, including Must Have Charms, Sand Art, Gill’s Floristry, The Hat Hut, Little T’s, Usborne Books, Handcrafted Wood, and even Santa will be popping in to say hello!
Events like this are so important to Alzheimer’s Society and to the local community. If we can raise £1,000 from the fair, we could help pay for an experienced Dementia Support Worker to spend an hour a week for an entire year with someone affected by dementia, helping them to build their own support network, and feel less isolated.
Services like this are absolutely vital to families, and we want to continue to be there for as many people affected by dementia as possible, as well as to help raise money to reach the ultimate goal: finding a cure.
For more information about Alzheimer’s Society, visit www.alzheimers.org.uk. To find out more about the Christmas Fair, visit the Facebook page.
For fundraising queries, you can contact Rebecca at rebecca.scott@alzheimers.org.uk.
