Basingstoke half marathon runner remembers his grandfather

'My grandfather Bernard Saunders was my hero and possibly the best dressed, funniest and most charming man I have had the pleasure of knowing. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease whilst fit and well at the relatively young age of 57.  Watching this very proud man slowly deteriorate to a frightened, confused and frail person who could not look after themselves and did not recognise their loved ones was heartbreaking to me and my family.

After making the crazy decision of running a half marathon at 40 years old, the next logical step was to try and raise some money for Alzheimer's Society in memory of my late grandfather.  Their tireless work in supporting people with dementia and their carers is truly inspirational and welcomed by all who receive their help.

The training was enjoyable even on cold and wet Sunday mornings and the atmosphere at the race and support from the roadside spectators was excellent.  The sense of achievement upon reaching the finish line was increased tenfold in the knowledge that I had managed to raise money for such a worthy cause.'

We'd like to thank Darren for his incredible effort and support. If you would like to get involved in fundraising in your local area we have lots of ideas for fundraising individually or there are many events that you can sign up to.