I am once again going to be running the London Marathon.
This year’s charities that I will be representing are is the Dementia Revolution, a joint fundraising campaign between Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer's Research UK and Guide Dogs. I have come to know each as a result of the fantastic work they do across the Barry and the Vale.
The Dementia Revolution
As Charity of the Year for the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon, Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK are joining forces for a year-long campaign to power groundbreaking dementia research, overthrow old attitudes and lead the charge towards a cure.
Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer, someone develops it every three minutes and there’s currently no cure.
The Alzheimer’s Society is a care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers. Their wide range of support services, like Dementia Connect, ensures nobody should have to face dementia alone. Alzheimer's Research UK has a number of research Centres of Excellence that focus on a number of themes – such as how to live well with dementia and the best ways to support people after a diagnosis. But of course the main goal for the Dementia Revolution is to help find a cure to dementia. The Alzheimer's Society's main ambition is that by 2022 relevant research in cure, care and prevention is generated and research findings have helped improve care, treatment and information.
This year, amongst many other important matters, I have been working with constituents on raising awareness of dementia and working with the Alzheimer’s Society and constituents on making improvements in our community. This is so that those living with Dementia in the Vale are in the most comfortable, understanding and accommodating environment possible. I have led on this by running Dementia Friendly training sessions, engaging with community organisations and local businesses, which has led to the establishment of a steering group to continue this work.
Guide Dogs
Guide Dogs exists to provide life-changing services to the 360,000 people who are registered blind or partially sighted, and the two million people in the UK living with sight loss. They provide a range of services with and beyond the dog to help thousands of people with different needs lead confident, independent and fulfilling lives.
There are currently over 4,950 guide dog owners in the UK, who are assisted with vitally important daily tasks like crossing roads.
I have engaged with passionate animal welfare campaigners on a number of matters including on the important puppy farming campaign and I’ve also met with the brilliant team at Guide Dogs to learn about their work supporting people with visual impairment. I share their passion on this issue and want to promote and support them as much as I can. The Guide Dogs team took me through the ‘blind-fold walk’ in Dinas Powys last year, which really demonstrated the vital role that guide dogs carry out when navigating along pavements with obstacles.
I appreciate many calls are made in favour of needy causes and hope you are able to extend your generosity to help these charities. Knowing that funds depend on me completing the 26.2 mile course has a major influence on my motivation and morale along the highs and lows of the route!
Last year friends and colleagues kindly contributed almost £10,000 for a local charity that supports victims of domestic abuse, Atal Y Fro and for NSPCC Cymru.
I would love to be able to raise something similar this year.
You can donate online by clicking below:
www.virginmoneygiving.com/aluncairns
Thank you,
Alun
