Murch Bowling Club fundraiser for Crossroads Care

Jo receives the cheque from Cynthia

Each year members of Murch Bowling Club in Dinas Powys raise funds for local charities.

This year, Club member Merle Davies nominated Crossroads Care in the Vale as one of two charities to benefit from the fundraising, the other being the National Deaf Children’s Society. A successful fundraising event organised by the Bowling Club members raised the grand total of £700, which was divided between the two charities.

Jo Hendry of Crossroads Care in the Vale attended a presentation at the Club on 11th October, and was presented with the £350 cheque by Cynthia Tranter.

Jo thanked the group for their efforts and generosity, and explained how the funds would benefit local carers and their relatives with dementia.

The Pies the limit: Dennis shares story for local project

Dennis outside the Clark’s Pie shop, Grangetown (photo by Adam Chard)

“I couldn’t wait to leave school and open my own Clark’s Pie shop”, says Dennis Dutch of Dinas Powys, who quit education at the age of 14 to join the family business.

Now 81, and despite being in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, Dennis is still  involved in running the Grangetown business that he established in 1955, now managed by daughters Beverley and Amanda.

Started by Dennis’s grandmother, Mary Clark, at Victoria Park, the company has always been a family affair, with some of Dennis’s grandchildren now also taking an active role.

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Singing Aloud with the Welsh National Opera

Kate Woolveridge leads the choir

Carers and their relatives with dementia took part in an exciting project during 2011.

From April to July the Welsh National Opera, in collaboration with the Cardiff and Vale branch of the Alzheimer’s Society, hosted a residency project for the group, to create a musical experience based on WNO’s production of Turandot.

Group members benefited greatly from the experience of Mezzo Soprano Kate Woolveridge, whose enthusiasm and energy added to the enjoyment of each session. The emphasis was on having fun, not perfection, so no one worried if they hit a wrong note!

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Crossroads group enjoys Cardiff Bay tour

The group at Harry Ramsden's fish restaurant

A group of more than twenty carers and their relatives enjoyed a trip to Cardiff Bay recently in glorious sunshine.

The annual summer outing, organised by Crossroads Care in the Vale, began with an excursion around the bay aboard the cruiser Seren y Bae. The group disembarked at Penarth Marina and joined the road train for the return journey across the barrage. Brian of Cardiff Bay Tours accompanied the group throughout, and provided a fascinating commentary on both journeys, giving insight into the history of Cardiff docklands and the recent development of the area.

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Cardiff conference gives insight into dementia

Professor Bayer explains the impact of dementia medication

Dealing with Dementia was the focus of a conference held at Cardiff’s Copthorne Hotel recently.

The aim of the event, organised by the Vale of Glamorgan Social Care Workforce Development Partnership, was to increase awareness of the effects of dementia on sufferers and their carers.

In the opening address, Anne Carpenter of the Alzheimer’s Society told the story of a couple, Peter and Anne Oldacre, whose lives were drastically altered when Ann developed early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The Oldacres’ plans for a long retirement in Spain were curtailed as Ann deteriorated, and they returned to Britain where they were effectively homeless as they were unable to sell their property in Spain. Ann, who was initially wrongly diagnosed with depression, experienced a rapid decline in both physical and mental ability, which could be seen in the accompanying film.

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