‘I decided I wanted to help others when my dad died’
DOUGIE McCluskey decided to do something for families affected by dementia the day he lost his own father Adam to the disease.
“I was quite ignorant about dementia until I saw it first hand,” he says.
“It is watching someone you love going through something that is draining the life away from them.
“When he passed, sometimes you felt relief that he wasn’t suffering. On the day he died, I said to my family, I’m going to do my utmost to help others.
“I was an ambassador for Alzheimer Scotland for a number of years but then I thought I need to make a bigger difference.”
Dougie’s charity, Battle Against Dementia, achieved charitable status a year and a half ago and will oversee the new Billy McNeill Fund, which is being launched at a major charity event in Glasgow on May 29.
The fundraiser will include a golf tournament, with three people paying to play with a celebrity or sportsman, and an evening reception, auction and concert, hosted by George Bowie, Jim White and Suzie McGuire at Mar Hall in Bishopton.
Kenny Dalglish, Neil Lennon and Line of Duty star Martin Compston are among the famous faces expected to attend.
“It’s a great honour to have someone of such stature associated with the charity. The McNeill family were keen to help people directly.
“We are going to ring-fence the funds to be used by former players who have dementia and their families.
“As ex-footballers, they don’t have the same money that footballers do now. I think a lot of people forget that.
“They could apply for funding for help if they are going into a care home or perhaps if they need to make any adaptations to their homes.
“We want to help families going through the process in any way we can.
“The charity itself is for anyone who suffers from dementia but the golf day is set up for ex-footballers.
“We don’t want to stop here though. We want to get involved with others sports like rugby.”
The ultimate aim of the charity is to build a centre, where people with dementia and their families can access support seven days a week. Land for this has been donated by Balmore Golf Club.