THE local branch of Alzheimer Scotland kickstarted a campaign at the beginning of 2019 to raise funds to support opening a Dementia Resource Centre.

The Centre would service everyone in Stirling and Clackmannanshire area offering trained support, activities, hobbies and parallel groups for carers and cared for, alike, living with dementia.

An Afternoon Tea attended by around eighty people was held in Parklands Centre in Alva on Saturday, March 30.

Music played and many cups of tea and cakes were consumed. A raffle included a Gift from Haircare in Alva, a photographic portrait voucher and a bottle of Bollinger.

An enormous £975 was raised at the event and several significant donations to date have been received by local people and fundraising by a school in Dollar.

To date the group have now raised £21,230 towards their target of 100k to kit out the Dementia Centre.

This will start to fund a sensory room for £13,000, furniture for a dementia café £8,500, a digital demonstration for £2,500, and therapy room £350, and much more.

Debbie Cassidy, from the local branch, said: “We are quite overwhelmed by the generosity of the local community without whom we would not be able to reach out target. We are eternally grateful."

Forthcoming events planned include Janet Glendinning running in the Stirling Marathon on Sunday, April 28; Dark Horse tattoo Parlour in Alloa hosting a Star Wars Tattoo event on May 4; and the Peak leisure centre in Stirling holding a netball tournament with all proceeds donated to the campaign.

For more information or to get involved, email dcassidy@alzscot.org, call 07989 047299 or visit justgiving.com/campaign/stirling-and-Clack-branch

The free 24-hour Azheimer Scotland helpline can be reach on 0800 808 3000.