Posted on 2nd Apr
A charity dedicated to supporting people with dementia and their loved ones has thanked Central England Co-op for a special donation that has helped it deal with a rise in calls to its helpline.
The retailer, which includes stores across Newark and Sherwood, has been in partnership with Dementia UK for the last two and a half years — and staff, members and customers have raised £1.3m.
Dementia UK supports families affected by dementia through local services and its Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline, which is open to anyone with queries or concerns about dementia and staffed by specialist dementia nurses — called Admiral Nurses.
Central England Co-op said it was keen to support its partner as it faced an expected uplift in demand to the helpline during the coronavirus crisis.
The society made an immediate £25,000 donation to enable the charity to fully staff its helpline seven days a week.
Dr Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse and chief executive at Dementia UK, said: “I would like to pass on my sincere gratitude to everyone at Central England Co-op for their support at this incredibly difficult time for us all, and in particular for families facing dementia. It means such a lot to us.
“The donation of £25,000 will enable an additional Admiral Nurse to take calls on our national helpline over the next 12 weeks when we expect an increase in calls of at least 30% due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“It will enable us to directly support many more families who are struggling and alone, with no one else to turn to, in what has become a very isolating and challenging time. We have received a significant number of calls already relating to the current pandemic.”
To find out more about Dementia UK and how to access the helpline go to www.dementiauk.org
