The wonderful Roade WI wanted to support NHS Day this year in a positive way that would really make a difference and so they chose to raise funds and awareness for the Northamptonshire Health Charity Do it for Dementia fund.
This fund was set up a few years ago alongside an appeal that was launched with aims to create dementia-friendly spaces around Northampton General Hospital and buy equipment and resources that will help reduce confusion, anxiety and distress for patients with dementia.
The overall objective is to make the entire hospital site more dementia-friendly.
Roade WI put the call out to their members and throughout the village via the Roade Local Facebook page about how they wanted to hold an event to support our campaign.
Local pub, The Cock kindly offered them their garden area so they could hold spaced out stalls for a raffle, cake and plant sales, as well as for children’s games.
They provided the large outside covered structure along with a ‘Meal for Two’ for the raffle.
A number of local shops and businesses also came forward to donate their services for raffle prizes including, vouchers, champagne, wine and chocolates in abundance.
Members, family, friends and villagers donated homemade cakes, jam and lots of plants.
L-R: Charity Fundraiser, Rob Powell; Chris Jackson (President of Roade WI); Margaret Smith & Lesley Armstrong (Treasurer).
Social distancing measures were in place and it proved to be a tremendous day.
It was a lovely opportunity for members and friends who hadn’t seen each other for months, to come out together and support the day along with local villagers.
We would like to send our huge thanks to everyone involved in the organisation and delivery of this event and to everyone in Roade who attended helping to raise an incredible £1,161 for the Do it for Dementia fund in just 4 hours!
The teamwork and dedication that went into this are what made the event such a big success.
These funds will now go a long way to enhancing patient care and experience for those with dementia at Northampton General Hospital.
Previous enhancements have included activity boxes for the elderly medicine wards so that patients have access to a range of items to engage them in therapeutic and mentally-stimulating activities.
The charity has also funded a day room on Abington ward that provides a different more familiar and sensory environment for dementia patients.
Retro clocks and radios, chair alarms and dementia-friendly walking frames are just a few of the many other types of items that have been purchased thanks to fundraising support.