Golfers get behind the Forget Me Not dementia appeal

The three captains of Stowmarket Golf Club, Martin Anderson, the club captain, Joan Hunter the ladies captain, and Ian Hay the seniors captain, are combining their charity fundraising efforts to raise money for the MyWiSH Charity’s Forget-Me-Not Dementia Appeal, supporting West Suffolk Hospital.

The appeal was launched in March 2014 to raise awareness of dementia and to challenge and change perceptions of patients with dementia as well as to provide support for family members and carers.

And thanks to the support of the East Anglian Daily Times and The Mercury newspapers it has already raised over £100,000.

The three captains visited the hospital and were shown round the ward area by Maggie Woodhouse, the dementia trainer.

Martin Anderson whose mother died of the illness in January 2017 at the age of 89 said: “We heard about how a group of art therapists came to the ward for a morning and brought smiles to the faces of patients who had been suffering from dementia. The staff too were lifted by this exciting activity.”

He added that hopefully the funds raised will help to pay for more of this type of activity.

The golf club will be running a charity golf day on Friday, July 12, which will be the major fundraising effort of the year but this will be supplemented by dances, quiz nights, raffles and various senior events throughout the year.

Sue Smith, head of fundraising, said: “We are thrilled to have been chosen by the Stowmarket Golf Club as their charity of the year and can’t thank them enough.

“Being able to provide entertainment for the patients is just wonderful. The staff have found it makes such a difference and they enjoy it as much as the patients”.

Pictured above, left to right, are Joan Hunter, ladies captain; Ian Hay, senior men’s captain; and Martin Anderson; club captain.