Town store helps to raise cash

PETS At Home Hinckley have helped to raise more than £50,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society during the course of Dementia Action Week.

The store has partnered with the UK’s leading dementia charity to improve the instore experience for customers living with dementia.

Over the course of the week, colleagues and customers in Hinckley raised the impressive amount for the Society, through the sales of pin badges and in-store fundraising activities including bake sales.

The funds raised will be used towards supporting the work of the Alzheimer’s Society to provide information and support, to fund research, campaign to improve care and create lasting change for people affected by dementia in the country.

As part of the partnership, more than 13 thousand employees from across all 440 stores, are to become Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends through Alzheimer’s Society’s programme.

As a result of becoming Dementia Friends, colleagues will be able to better assist customers who may be living with dementia, and will have the knowledge and confidence to approach and help customers who are shopping by themselves or with a loved one.

Hinckley store manager, Lee Twigger, says: “The team and I would like to say a massive thank you to all of our customers for their support with the campaign and their generous donations towards Alzheimer’s Society.

“We really hope that customers and families who are affected by dementia will feel welcomed and comfortable whilst shopping in our store.”

Emma Bould, Programme Partnerships Manager at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Everyone at Alzheimer’s Society would like to say a huge thank you the colleagues and customers at Pets at Home for their invaluable donations.

”In the UK, one person develops dementia every three minutes and almost everyone knows someone whose life has been affected.

“Yet too many people face the condition alone, without adequate support.

“At Alzheimer’s Society we are determined to change this, as it is vital that people living with dementia feel included in their local community and able to live the lives they want.

“Something as simple as store colleagues, as well as other customers, being a bit more patient will make a huge difference to the day to day lives of people living with dementia.”