Mighty effort for new charity group

A group of passionate volunteers whose lives have been touched by dementia have launched a fundraising group to support Alzheimer's Research UK.
Alzheimers Research UKs new Edinburgh fundraising group are planning a charity quiz nightAlzheimers Research UKs new Edinburgh fundraising group are planning a charity quiz night
Alzheimers Research UKs new Edinburgh fundraising group are planning a charity quiz night

The seven founding members of the group – which includes Dr Jill Fowler, Alzheimer’s Research UK Senior Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, and Catarina Dias, a PhD student funded by the charity – are already planning a series events and activities.

The Edinburgh fundraising group will also be representing the charity at events and spreading the word about dementia and the importance of research within their local communities.

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Their first big fundraising event will be a quiz night in the bar at the Novotel Edinburgh Centre Hotel on April 26, organised as part of the charity’s The Mighty Quiz campaign.

Group member Mhairi Hastie, who lives in Longniddry, was inspired to raise money for dementia research after her mother died with Alzheimer’s disease. Her father also has vascular dementia and is now living in a care home.

Mhairi said: “My mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2006. She went downhill dramatically, everything just shut down and she died in 2009.

“My dad was determined she wouldn’t go in a care home and he cared for her around the clock. He had some health conditions that didn’t come out at the time because he was concentrating on my mum.

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“His health started to go downhill in 2013 and he was also diagnosed with dementia.

“It’s so important to support research as finding a cure is the only way to stop future generations having to go through what my family have been through.”

Alzheimer’s Research UK regional groups play a crucial part in the fight against dementia, which currently affects around 70,000 people in Scotland.

The charity has invested more than £6 million in research in Scotland, backing around 60 projects exploring the causes of dementia and work towards preventions, treatments and a cure for diseases like Alzheimer’s.

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Several of these projects are at the University of Edinburgh, which is a leading centre for dementia research.

Kyle Lockhart, Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Fundraising Officer for Scotland, said: “We are delighted to have launched a fundraising group in Edinburgh, particularly as a lot of pioneering dementia research is taking place at the University of Edinburgh.”

For information about the group’s upcoming events and activities, including The Mighty Quiz, like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ARUKEdinburgh.The group is open to new members and the charity would welcome more volunteers. For more information contact Kyle on 07760 884529 or [email protected] or visit www.alzheimersresearchuk.org.