Funding success stories!

Earlier in the year we applied to the Barclays 100x100 UK Covid-19 Community Relief Programme and The National Lottery Community Fund Coronavirus Community Support Fund for grants to support the costs of the Rare Dementia Support team prioritising Covid-19-related needs from members, piloting new online groups and responding to the doubling of phone and email support requests. 

We are delighted to say that we were successful on both counts and have now received an incredible £100,000 from Barclays. One hundred donations of £100,000 each were awarded to UK charities working to support vulnerable people impacted by COVID-19, and the associated social and economic hardship caused by the crisis. Thanks to Barclays, Rare Dementia Support has now appointed a membership and large group coordinator, a forum developer, a peer forum and rights worker and a rights and entitlement support worker. 

The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded a wonderful grant of £60,000 from its Coronavirus Community Support Fund. This has enabled the team to employ a smaller online group administrator, an online forum co-ordinator and an Integrated Legal Advice Clinic caseworker. These roles will significantly develop the scope and quality of support that can be offered and will also be a helpful resource for carers who are dealing with the financial, legal and service impact of Covid-19. 

The National Brain Appeal and Rare Dementia Support teams are extremely grateful for both of these generous funding grants, which will hugely benefit those living with young onset and atypical dementias, and their families over the next six months and beyond.

Join the creativity club 

The Rare Dementia Support Creativity Club has been set up to offer an opportunity to learn about the creative side of RDS members. It aims to encourage old and new skills to help shape what creative engagement RDS offers in the future. The groups are intended mainly for people living with dementia and will have around eight to 10 participants in each group.

The first sessions will kick off in February 2021 and will be an opportunity for you to share your ideas. This could be painting, music, dance, cooking or even gardening! Each session will include a short creative group activity. Attendees may be asked to bring examples to share, and there will be suggested themes to inspire you with between sessions. Artist Charlie Harrison, along with colleagues Olivia Wood and Millie Van Der Byl Williams, will run these sessions. 

Interested? Register your interest below.

Fundraising Beethoven recital

Join this virtual concert in aid of Rare Dementia Support and celebrate Ludwig van Beethoven's 250th birthday this year!

Following on from his successful performance at the Royal Academy last autumn which he gave in aid of The National Brain Appeal, we are delighted to share with you a virtual piano recital by acclaimed pianist Colin Stone. Colin is an enthusiastic supporter of The National Brain Appeal, having been a patient at the National Hospital for Neurology in the past.

To watch the recital, we ask that you purchase a ticket for £5. You will then receive an email containing the web link to the recital and password to gain access. To buy one of Colin's latest CDs, visit our online shop. Click below to buy a ticket − we hope you enjoy the concert as much as we did!

Let's get quizzical

We have the perfect lockdown, at-home activity for you this Saturday − the Simultaneous Global Virtual Quiz! It kicks off at 7.30pm on 14 November. We are grateful to long-time supporter Susie Shaw who organises the event every year. Last year she raised over £3,270, which is a fantastic amount.

Why not get your household signed up and have fun fundraising while flexing your brainpower against other teams across the globe? Sign up today!