Residents of retirement living apartments raise £500 for dementia support group

News from our partners Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin

Residents of Lindale Court, retirement living apartments in Shrewsbury, have raised £500 to commemorate a caring volunteer who supported a local charity’s dementia support service.

The tabletop sale and cream tea fundraiser for Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin was held in memory of Barbara English, who sadly died last year. Barbara was an occupant of Lindale Court where residents are encouraged to get involved with activities by the management company, Wrekin Housing Trust.

Barbara volunteered her time to help and support people in the dementia group run by Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin at Lindale Court every fortnight on a Tuesday, from 2pm – 4pm. The group is for people living with dementia and their carers and it’s a place to relax, chat and have fun for two hours in a safe and welcoming environment.

Neil Brookes from Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin (far left) is presented with the cheque from residents of Lindale Court, Shrewsbury.

Barbara was in her early 80s and had a lot of voluntary experience. Before relocating to Shropshire from Cornwall, Barbara was the coordinator of an Age Concern Lunch club, a befriender, and a volunteer at an Alzheimer’s memory café.

Neil Brookes, Dementia Support Worker at Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, said:

“Barbara is greatly missed; she was a special volunteer who was very supportive and caring. She baked exceptional cakes so it was rather fitting to hold a cream tea in her memory. We are thrilled to receive the donation – it will be put towards our dementia support groups in Shrewsbury at Lindale Court on Copthorne Road and Forest Way in Monkmoor. We offer fortnightly sessions to support carers and the person living with dementia, it’s an opportunity for people to come together to share experiences and seek support if they need it.”

Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin run 9 dementia drop in centres across Shropshire and launching a day respite service in April at Withywood in Shrewsbury.

If you would like to find out more about the Age UK STW dementia support services, please call Jenny Smith or Neil Brookes on 01743 233123 or visit their website www.ageuk.org.uk/shropshireandtelford 

Further information

Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin is a local charity which has been working tirelessly for over 67 years to make life better for older people across the whole of Shropshire.

Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin offers a range of services for older people in the county. These include: Information and Advice, Day Centres, dementia support, the Help at Home Service, volunteer befriending visitors, Home from Hospital services, Lunch Clubs, Living Well activities, Benefits Advice, and Advocacy on behalf of older people.

Last year over 100,000 volunteer hours were given to support older people, ranging from helping people to fill in benefits forms, supporting people in our 40 Day Centres, visiting isolated older people at home, to acting as receptionists in our Shrewsbury office.

As part of our ‘No one should have No one’ campaign, we are raising money and recruiting volunteers to increase services such as befriending and social activities that reduce isolation and loneliness among  older people in Shropshire.

Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin is based in Shrewsbury and in Telford.  The Shrewsbury office is open from 10am – 4pm Monday to Friday, 01743 233123.  Our office at Meeting Point House in Telford is open every morning, 01952 216018.  Further information about our local services is available on our website www.ageukshropshireandtelford.org.uk