Our funds raised in 2015 totalled over £8,000* (before Gift Aid). This was largely thanks to our amazing fundraisers who took on challenges for us.
If you’re interested in doing some fundraising for us, get in touch.
Funds were also raised through Laura and Jon’s incredible Mile a Day challenge, a skydive and participation in Blenheim triathlon, as well as ongoing donations from our generous supporters.
We shared these donations between our chosen organisations in the proportions set out below. Some of these organisations are ones that we supported with funds from 2014, some are new additions; there are so many organisations providing fantastic support to people living with dementia, and it is important to us to support a range of different organisations.
Please get in touch if you have a suggestion of an organisation we could support.
* Added to the remaining balance of 2014 fundraising (money raised after our 10 challenges in 10 months had been completed), this meant we have been able to distribute £10,000 in this round of funding.
If you have any questions about how funds are being distributed please contact us.
Share of funds raised in 2015
Alzheimers Society
Charity Reg: 296645
£3,000 (30%)
National organisation providing information and local support services, research, training, campaigning and awareness raising. Our donation was used to support campaigning and research work as well as providing direct services in Somerset & Dorset such as vital social support networks like Memory cafes, Singing for the Brain groups and groups for younger people living with dementia. 14% of all donations goes into general funds to support the vital administration and fundraising functions that support the rest of their fantastic work.
BRACE
Charity Reg: 297965
£3,000 (30%)
Supports dementia research at universities in South West England and South Wales, aiming to help medical science understand the causes of dementia, find ways of diagnosing it earlier and more accurately, and develop more effective treatments. Ultimately, they want to help science beat dementia. Our donation was used to support this work. Read more about the research they support.
Dementia UK
Charity Reg: 1039404
£500 (5%)
Offers specialist one-to-one support and expert advice for people living with dementia through world-class Admiral Nurses. They work hand in hand with families, helping them cope with the fear, uncertainty and difficult everyday reality of dementia. In providing the compassionate, expert support families need every step of the way, Admiral Nurses help them to live more positively with dementia in the present; and to face the challenges of tomorrow with more confidence, and less fear.
Our donation funded Admiral Nurses on the Admiral Nurses Direct phoneline to give specialist practical and emotional support, to carers who may be feeling desperately alone and unsupported.
Young Dementia UK
Charity Reg: 1085595
£1,000 (10%)
Provides direct support to people with young onset dementia (35-65 years old) and their family members.
They also campaign on many aspects of young onset dementia. Our funding has gone towards the costs of making a video about young onset dementiavoices support.
This video was made with contributions from people with young onset dementia, who described the positive things that they can do and the fulfilled lives that they can lead if they are properly supported.
This video is a follow-on from one that was made last year, Make a point about young onset dementia.
They collaborated with the Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project on this video.
Carers Trust
Charity Reg: 1145181
£1000 (10%)
Works to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring for a family member or friend.
In 2013, Carers Trust published the research report A road less rocky, which found that carers of people with dementia are not getting the support and advice they need.
In August 2016, Carers Trust launched a campaign to highlight older carer issues, including carers of people with dementia. It will build on the A road less rocky research, and our donation will help with key costs, such as transport and replacement care to help carers attend round table or parliamentary events – ensuring that their experiences and voices are heard and help to campaign for better services.
This will improve the standard of care received by the person being cared for, as well as the quality of life for both the carer and the cared for person. This will also ensure carers of people with dementia will receive more and better support at all stages of their caring role.
Innovations in Dementia
Community Interest Company No. 06046815
£500 (5%)
Innovations in Dementia is a community interest company No. 06046815 (find out more about community interest companies) which works nationally with people with dementia, partner organisations and professionals with the aim of developing and testing projects that will enhance the lives of people with dementia.
Outcomes from such projects will influence approaches to dementia care and support so that they are more creative, positive and enabling.
They aim to work collaboratively with people with dementia in all of their, work and also provide advice and training to other organisations to help them develop more positive care and support services for people with dementia.
Innovations in Dementia work with the Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project (DEEP) which brings together groups of people with dementia from across the UK. DEEP supports these groups to try to change services and policies that affect the lives of people with dementia.
Currently, there is no DEEP group active in the Somerset/Devon area. Our funding will be used to organise and run an information sessionto launch a new DEEP group in Exeter, contributing to dementia research strategy and work via Exeter University and PenChlarc.
Local Services in Chard and Taunton
£1000 (10%)
£1000 was donated to the dementia team at Musgrove Park Hospital to buy 6 ‘memory boxes’ and two tablet computers to use on wards across the hospital where patients living with dementia are cared for.
These items will be used by patients, carers, staff and dementia ‘buddy’ volunteers. A hospital stay can be a very disorientating and frightening experience for someone living with dementia, and these activities can help to improve their stay in hospital.
We contacted the dementia team at Musgrove about supporting their work after reading about John’s campaign.
