Art Walks for Dementia UK
I’m taking part in the Walk 100K in August challenge to support families facing dementia. Please sponsor me.
Personally affected by this cruel disease, I watched my Dad slowly lose himself to dementia. It was a heart-wrenching journey for our entire family. Once a social, positive and independent man, he became a shadow of his former self. This cruel disease didn’t just steal my Dad from us; it transformed our lives completely, especially for my mother, his devoted carer for a decade. She bore the brunt of the emotional and physical toll, and her patience never ceased to amaze me. You feel hopeless and frustrated as you feel you can do nothing to help. I was lucky to have such a great Dad.
On a more positive note:
Always looking for ways to satisfy my inner culture vulture, I plan to make my walks arty. In August (2024), I will be doing the Irwell Sculpture Trail (53km, 70 artworks) and I have also created my own Paolozzi Sculpture Trail London. (10km 6 sculptures) I enjoyed researching where Paolozzi can be found in London and making the Google map. I will, of course, blog about these adventures.
Your donation, big or small, makes a difference. Just £8 can cover the telephone costs for two families seeking support through Dementia UK’s free Helpline. £33 could fund a new dementia specialist Admiral Nurse to spend an hour helping a family in the community, offering practical solutions and emotional support to cope with their loved one’s behaviour. Dementia UK is the specialist dementia nurse charity. Their nurses, called Admiral Nurses, provide life-changing care to families affected by all forms of dementia, including Alzheimers disease. They help people with dementia stay independent for longer, and support the people caring for them so they have the strength to cope with the bad days, and the energy to enjoy the good days. They have the time to listen and the knowledge to solve problems, helping families take back control when they are struggling.
If you’d like to keep up-to-date with my Art Walks for Dementia, please register to receive my weekly newsletter. If you are an art teacher, you’ll also be able to download 3 of my free art resources each month too.
