People living with dementia and their families raise more than £1,000 for Dementia UK

People living with dementia and their families walked laps of a new accessible pathway to mark Dementia Action Week and raise money for Dementia UK.

Members of Community Voluntary Services Tendring’s (CVST) Dementia Café spent the morning on Thursday, May 19, walking the pathway at Sailship Training and Learning for Life in Clacton.

Despite the day starting with rain, 36 people, including staff and volunteers took part raising more than £1,000.

The aim was to walk six laps of the path, which officially opened in April, equalling one mile.

Caroline Szabo, community development officer at CVST and organiser of the sponsored walk, said: “It was lovely.

“The camaraderie of this group is really nice.

“They always stick together and look after each other.

“Yes, these people are living with dementia, but they did the walk – they have the determination, and it’s easy to say what they can’t do but just look at what they can do.

“They wanted to do it and they all said how nice it was to get together and take part.”

She added: “It was just fantastic.

“They could do as little or as much as they wanted and even with the rain they showed up and took part.

“And the amount they raised – it’s incredible!”

Money raised for Dementia UK is used to fund Admiral Nurses – specialist dementia nurses that provide life-changing support to families living with dementia.

For more information about CVST’s Dementia Café visit www.cvstendring.org.uk/friendship-cafes or call 01255 425692.