Walkers with learning disabilities raise cash for dementia awareness at Bedford Memory Walk

Eight residents of Lomack Health Co Ltd’s care homes for vulnerable adults—supported by staff and family members—participated in a sponsored #MemoryWalk for dementia awareness at Priory County Park in Bedford.

Dementia affects almost a million people in the UK and more than 1 in 11 people over the age of 65, a number which is steadily increasing because we are living longer lives. Dementia affects more than just memory, it changes the way people think, feel and behave; and is not a natural part of ageing.

A dear friend to these walkers recently passed away with dementia, and many wished to remember his life and the impact he had upon the world through a series of fundraising efforts that ended in a physical walk of remembrance across Priory Park in Bedford.

The grand total raised for the Alzheimer’s Society was £726.00. This will be used to fund research into dementia and support people living with the disease, which someone in the UK is diagnosed with every three minutes. The Alzheimer’s Society hopes that one day there will be viable treatments for people living with dementia, but until then it raises money to improve their quality of life and spread awareness of the condition.

The walkers raised much of this money through a car boot sale and a bingo night at the Lomack House residential care home in Kempston. These events involved a lot of planning and participation from our memory walkers, who were very pleased with their fundraising success.

The Memory Walk itself was also enjoyable for everyone, though quite challenging for some, and an enormous accomplishment for others. Each of these memory walkers have themselves overcome huge physical and social challenges in their lives, and their participation in events like the Memory Walk sets a standard for strength of spirit and community participation that we should all aspire to live up to.

At noon the heavens opened, and it began to rain, but our brave walkers soldiered on and made it to the café at the end of the route, where sandwiches and hot drinks were waiting for them. Over lunch everyone talked about the fundraising journey they’d been and remembered the people they did it for—friends, parents, children—all of whom have touched the lives of others and made the world a better place to live.

#MemoryWalk is a series of sponsored walks held in September and October across the UK. Every pound raised funds new research and provides support for families affected by dementia. The staff at Lomack Health Co Ltd would like to thank all who participated in the fundraising events, with a special thanks to the family members.