Awareness Week 2003

Durham & Chester-le-Street branch ran a series of events to mark Alzheimer's Awareness Week in 2003.

Candle Vigil

Branch Chairman Patrick Nethercot, Branch Manager Jennifer Brown, The Mayor of Durham Cllr Ray Gibbon and The Rev Bryan Middlebrook.

The first event was a Candle Vigil on Monday 7th July in the magnificence of Durham Cathedral in the presence of the Mayor of Durham, Councillor Ray Gibbon. The moving service was conducted by The Rev Bryan Middlebrook, a branch committee member. Branch Chairman Patrick Nethercot read from St Luke, (9:1-6) after which Bryan gave a thought provoking sermon, expanding on the reference to "demons" in the reading, relating it to the suffering of dementia. Prayers were said and those present lit candles in memory of loved ones.

Marjorie McBride, Teresa Pryer, Jennifer Brown, Maureen Suddes, Lynne Easton and Debbie Keenan at Crook Hall.

Afterwards, there were refreshments at Crook Hall in Durham City, the owners kindly waiving the normal entrance fee for the Alzheimer's Society. This was chance to walk in the gardens, look around the interesting house and enjoy company over tea and sandwiches or scones.

Annual General Meeting

Civic guests at the AGM. Left, Cllr and Mrs Tom Harland, Chairman of Chester-le-Street District Council and right, Cllr and Mrs Ray Gibbon, Mayor of Durham City.

This was held in Chester-le-Street Civic Centre on Tuesday evening, 8th July. Reports were given and oral reports made. Sheila Crawford from the Alzheimer's Society Regional Office conducted the elections for the committee, the only change being the election of George Perfect as Branch Secretary in place of Teresa Pryer who stepped down after many years of service.

The Speaker was Jane McGowan, who spoke from the heart about her book "Next of Skin" which chronicles her husband Gordon's decline into dementia and her struggle cope with the living loss of the man she loved. The audience listened enraptured by Jane's directness when recounting her experience.

Flowers and Crafts

The following evening, and in the same place, a Flower Arranging Demonstration/Sale of Crafts by Audrey Raynor had all those who attended fascinated by just how much can be done with flowers to create some lovely arrangements. The event was also a successful fund raiser for the branch.

Conference - "Activities for People with Dementia"

This took place at County Hall, Durham on Friday 11th July. Helen Walton, Products Manager Quality Care Team of the Alzheimer's Society came from York to talk about the Alzheimer's Society's book, "The Alzheimer's Society's Book of Activities". Her presentation included a short video of some ideas in action, and then the branch Day Care staff led by Debbie Keenan, Care Services Co-ordinator for the branch, with the help of volunteers from the audience, demonstrated some of the activities used at the "The Green" Day Centre run by the branch.

Stephen Marshall shows the photographs after his demonstration

Stephen Marshall, Artist in the Community, then gave an interesting practical demonstration of various techniques and ways of involving people with dementia in activities using easily obtained, cheap and often 'recycled' material. He had done much work with older people and had produced work across the region which was on display in its original setting. He also brought photographs of much of the work produced.

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