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Liverpool Charity Champion
helps launch £150k dementia research partnership with 'World Duty Free'
ALZHEIMER'S Research UK Champion Paula
Muldoon, from Waterloo in Merseyside, has visited:- 'World Duty Free'
staff at
Liverpool Airport to help raise awareness of the charity's work. Staff at:-
'World
Duty Free' stores nationwide have kick started a £150,000 partnership with the
UK's leading dementia charity by hosting an 'Orange Day' launch.
The launch centred on the statistic that a brain affected by Alzheimer's can
weigh 140g less than a normal brain; about the weight of an orange. Staff at
each World Duty Free store in airports nationwide donated the equivalent of this
weight in pennies; £1.40 each and hosted raffles and bake sales to kick start
the 3 year partnership, raising thousands of pounds in just 1 day.
The partnership will last three years with World Duty Free pledging to raise at
least £150,000 to help fund Alzheimer's Research UK's Dementia Research Infoline,
an essential information service for members of the public who have questions
about dementia and research into the condition. The Infoline also helps people
sign up for a dementia research register called Join Dementia Research that
matches volunteers with appropriate studies in their area.
Paula, who is an actress best known for her role in the soap opera Brookside and
runs her own fitness business, spent the afternoon talking to staff at Liverpool
Airport and sharing her personal experience of losing her dad to frontotemporal
dementia. She said:- "It was so encouraging to see all the World Duty Free
staff really enthusiastic about fundraising and putting so much effort into the
launch. When you speak to groups of people at events like this you realise how
many people lose a loved one to dementia. I found many people with stories which
were sadly similar to mine.
My dad lost his battle with frontotemporal dementia in 2012, he was only 64.
Alzheimer's Research UK are a charity very close to my heart and I know the
money raised by World Duty Free will give other people support to cope with a
loved ones dementia diagnosis and sign up participants to research programmes to
defeat dementia."
Dementia affects 850,000 people in the UK and is caused by brain diseases, most
commonly Alzheimer's, which result in the loss of brain cells and impair the
brain's ability to function properly. Early symptoms can include problems with
memory and thinking, but as brain cell death becomes more widespread, physical
functions such as walking and even swallowing can be affected. Currently there
are no treatments able to stop or slow Alzheimer's disease or other dementias in
their tracks.
Sarah Branquinho, Corporate Communications & External Affairs Director at World
Duty Free, said:- "Alzheimer's Research UK was chosen as our appointed
charity by all our staff, many of whom have family and friends affected by this
devastating illness. Everyone is committed to raising vital funds and generating
much needed support for the charity, to help us better understand and fight
dementia."
Steve Frost, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Alzheimer's Research UK, said:-
"Each year 225,000 people develop dementia, that's one every three
minutes. The Dementia Research Infoline is an invaluable service for the public
offering information to people who have questions about dementia and research.
It's a way in which Alzheimer's Research UK can make sure people affected by
dementia and their families can understand the latest scientific advancements
and to sign ost services that can help people. The Infoline also offers people
the opportunity to be matched with appropriate research studies if they would
like to play their own part in research to help defeat dementia sooner.
There are currently around 5,000 people living with dementia in Liverpool and
with this number on the rise, the need for research has never been greater.
Alzheimer's Research UK scientists are making real progress but we rely on
public support to be able to fund our research."
Staff at the 33 nationwide World Duty Free stores will continue to fundraise
throughout the year with a variety of events planned including more bake sales,
obstacle races and marathons.
To learn more about research going on in your area visit,
JoinDementiareSearch.NIHR.AC.UK or call the Dementia
Research Info line on:- 0300 111 5 111.
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