Elaine recognised for dementia support work

received the trophy for their vital work with people living with dementia and their carers.

Elaine began volunteering to help people living with dementia in 2008, when her husband Melvyn went into residential care after being diagnosed with the condition four years earlier.

She said: “Melvyn was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2004. By 2010 when he died, the diagnosis had moved on to mixed dementia, which is a combination of vascular dementia, Alzheimers, Lewey Bodies and Parkinsonism.

“It was unfortunately a rapid decline for him to his sad end, and although he was so ill it never changed his pleasant personality, for which I was grateful.

“I volunteer because I want to be able to give something back to the organisations who so kindly helped me and my husband when he was ill.

“I’m happy to help with advice and information in any way I can to help to make the carers and the people living with dementia’s lives better.”

Elaine volunteers with two groups: a weekly drop-in dementia café in Kirklees, and a carers’ group Comedian Jake Mills, is shown left with (from second left): Kirklees Dementia Information and Advice worker Alicia France, actress Beverley Callard and Gaynor Chisnall, of Making Space in Skelmanthorpe.

She and the rest of the volunteers were nominated by Deborah Sykes, a dementia advisor at Kirklees Dementia Information and Advice Service.

The other volunteers recognised by the award are Valerie Shaw, Sharon Wadsworth, Ophelia Plucker, Joan Peel, Beryl Morson, Jill Morris, Josephine Mawdsley, Brenda Manning, Patricia Lindley, Christine Hall, Caroline Hawksworth, Anya Guy, Lyndal Holmes, Helen Chattopadhyay and Helen Bridle.

Making Space was founded in 1982 to help improve the lives of those living with mental health conditions and their carers.

Since 2012, it has also operated not-for-profit services for people with physical support needs, older adults, adults with learning disabilities and people living with dementia, as well as an increased number of support services for carers.