How you can help North East Dementia Care in their work to help Sunderland sufferers and their families

The Sunderland branch of North East Dementia Care was set up to provide day care and activities for dementia sufferers.

It was launched five weeks ago in a bid to fill the gap in care provision left by the closure of the Alzheimer’s Society on Hylton Road back in May.

The closure, which followed funding shortages, devastated those who relied on its services.

But supporters of the centre refused to be beaten and set up North East Dementia Care as a charity of their own.

The organisation has opened a temporary home inside the retirement centre on Springtide Cove on Dock Street in Roker, to provide the much-needed services to thousands of people in the city who are affected by the disease, and their families.

It’s chairwoman is Sandra Falkner, who has been devoted to helping sufferers and their carers since looking after her husband Billy, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in his 50s and died of the disease four years ago, aged 67.

The Hylton Road unit had been a lifeline to Billy and many others, so Sandra is excited by the new venture, which is there for both sufferers and carers to meet others in similar situations.

Sandra Falkner said: “The charity has now been open for five weeks.

“Before our charity opened, there was nothing in Sunderland for day care since the Alzhimer’s Society closed down.

“Care is provided by our team of full qualified staff who provide day care five days a week for those with dementia.

“We are a new charity and want to raise awareness of what we do in the community, so we are holding a summer fair at on Saturday, August 17, at our base on Springtide Cove in Roker.

“It is open to people who want to come along and help us to raise funds for the charity.”

The 1945 -themed event will start at 1pm and feature the likes of cake stalls and activities such as hook the duck and a coconut shy.