Anna’s story
Anna Ingram from Southport is urging communities across Merseyside to join her in supporting Alzheimer’s Society’s appeal, by wearing a Forget Me Not badge, or fundraising to help provide life-changing support for people living with dementia.
Anna, who has worked for Morrisons supermarkets for 27 years has been a store Community Champion for the past eight years, a role which enables her to get involved in the organisation’s various charity and community initiatives; something she loves:
“There’s lots of satisfaction in being a community champion, it’s so worthwhile and I get to go out into the community and really feel like I’m making a difference. We try to link local groups up with each other, so for Alzheimer’s Society’s Forget Me Not Appeal we’ve got together with a local community farm for adults for learning disabilities – they’re making an amazing scarf that we’re going to raffle for the appeal. We’re also doing a tea party with Athena Care Home, who we’ve previously helped to connect with local schools on inter-generational projects.”
Anna has a personal reason for hoping the Forget Me Not Appeal fundraising goes well as her late Dad died from Alzheimer’s five years ago.
“My Dad was a lovely man. He was a gentle giant and would do anything for anybody. He knew everyone in the community as he worked for many years as a postman. I’ve seen how dementia affects families; it’s so hard – you feel as if you lose someone twice when you have a loved one with dementia. I know I’ve got colleagues in the store who are caring for relatives and I’m sure lots of our customers are in the same boat too. We just want to see the back of this disease and will do anything we can to help make that happen. I’m wearing my Forget Me Not badge during May to show everyone who is living with dementia across Merseyside that they haven’t been forgotten.”
The Forget Me Not appeal
There are a variety of ways to get involved:
- Buy and wear a Forget Me Not Badge
- Volunteer to collect at your local Morrisons store for two or three hours to raise vital funds.
- Become a Dementia Friend and learn how to help people living with dementia in your community
- Leave a message on the Alzheimer’s Society’s dedication page in honour of a loved one. Or share your memories on your own social media feeds using the hashtag #ForgetMeNotAppeal
Chantelle Day, Alzheimer’s Society Community Fundraiser in Merseyside, said:
“There are around 32,000 people living with dementia across Merseyside and Cheshire and too many are facing it alone. This May, Alzheimer’s Society is asking people to wear a Forget Me Not badge, in honour of someone special and to help people living with dementia get the life-changing support they need.
“By wearing a badge and supporting Alzheimer’s Society’s Forget Me Not Appeal, we’re showing people affected by dementia that we understand and stand with them.
“Alzheimer’s Society’s services are a lifeline and have been used over four and half million times in the last year. We support people living with dementia and their families through some of the hardest and most frightening times.”
As well as fundraising during the month, Alzheimer’s Society also led Dementia Action Week last week (15-21 May), which focused on diagnosis and encouraging people experiencing dementia symptoms to seek help.
Alzheimer’s Society has joined forces with Alzheimer Scotland and Morrisons supermarket chain to ensure that the Forget Me Not Appeal reaches every community in the UK. Money raised in Morrisons stores in England and Wales will go to Alzheimer’s Society and money raised in Morrisons stores in Scotland will go to Alzheimer Scotland.
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