‘Stick to promises on dementia’ urges star

DAME JULIE Walters has urged the Government to keep its promise on dementia research funding.

The actress, 71, said “funding promised by Government is more critical now than it ever has been”.

She backed a petition, signed by more than 43,000 people, calling on the Government to deliver on its election promise to double funding for dementia research.

The Government pledged in 2019 to double funding as part of a “moonshot” effort to find a cure. But no further details have been given about how or when the funding will be available, Alzheimer’s Research UK has said.

Dame Julie, whose grandmother died with vascular dementia, said: “As someone who witnessed the effects of dementia growing up, I am proud to be standing with the tens of thousands of people who are calling on Government to deliver on its election promise to double investment. “My grandmother had vascular dementia and she lived with us when we were kids. “We didn’t really understand her symptoms, but we all loved her to bits. I still don’t know how my mother coped having to care for her and look after three young children. “It’s appalling that over half of us know someone affected by dementia, yet there are no treatments to slow, stop or prevent it.” Other stars who have also backed the petition include Yorkborn Dame Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, Brian Cox and Dame Harriet Walter.

A FORMER Royal British Legion Club on the Yorkshire coast is set to be turned into shops and holiday flats.

The Bar Street premises in Scarborough, which was once home to the charity’s social club, closed in January last year due to financial difficulties caused by falling membership.

Anthony Boyce, of Gingerbread Holiday Lets in Darlington, has now been granted planning permission by Scarborough Borough Council to create shops on the ground floor of the premises and two flats above.

Mr Boyce said the development would bring more people into the centre of Scarborough, and “contribute towards the vitality and viability of the area”.

There were two objections to the scheme, but the council’s planning officers dismissed the concerns raised.