40 years since my first GNR - I am doing this one, with my daughter, for a great cause.

The day to day impact of Dementia seems to come on slowly, but when you look back you wonder why you hadn’t noticed it before. We lost Colin (Pop), finally, in 2011 - but actually we had lost him gradually sometime before.

We wondered, back then, how was it possible there was no treatment but there wasn’t and he gradually faded from us.

All these years on and that is still the challenge. Funding is only part of the solution, but part that my daughter and I can and will contribute to.

Our efforts in the Great North Run 2026 will be helping us to help the experts tackle this growing issue. 
It will be my daughter's first half marathon, it will be my 15 GNR and marks 40 years since my first (at least a decade since my most recent!). A father-daughter shared event will be a fitting way to honour the father-grandfather we loved and lost.

We opened our garden on Sunday 31st May 2026 as part of our local town open garden scheme. Our chosen charity was Alzheimers Society as we have been affected by relatives suffering from this disease.
We raised £100. Please see the enclosed photos of our garden.
We made pin-on badges and flowers which we gave to people who donated money.

Im volunteering in my husband Peter's memory as we got a lot of support from the Alzheimers society.

I'm volunteering in memory of my Sister Karen who passed away with dementia in 2022. She was a very special lady. It was hard keeping in touch with her as she was in a nursing home during covid. I think about her every day.

I’m volunteering for my mum Elizabeth May Gibson (Bet) (Nanny Bet) Amazing lady. My dad and mum was married for 61 years she was a great wife and an amazing mum and nanny. A great friend to all.
She was a superstar in our family she looked after all her grandchildren so her kids could work and give their children a good life and excellent values.
My mum was a kind generous lady who always looked out for our families.
Loved by all, and as the Alzheimer’s took hold of her mum was still kind and very funny, yet sometimes she was so angry or sad mostly through frustration she never accepted she had that illness.
My dad sisters and brother and I looked after until she passed.
Forever in our hearts

I'm supporting Alzheimers Society in memory of my Mother, she suffered for ten years before we sadly lost her in 2018. Mam was a very intelligent, funny, loving and caring lady. She was a deputy head teacher until her retirement in 1996. We lost our Dad and Brother in 2005, after such a huge loss to our family Mam was diagnosed with dementia which then progressed to Alzheimers. I have done several sponsored walks and now I'm volunteering for the society. My heart goes out to families going through this awful condition and pray that a cure will be found.

I am volunteering for memory walk
Because of my auntie pat died with Alzheimer’s

I'm walking for my husband, Chris, aka Pa.
He was diagnosed with mixed dementia in 2024 after going through an awful 12 months during which his mum died from Alzheimer’s. He had terrible psychosis problems and after receiving medication he was able to calm down and live at home with me caring for him. Losing his driving licence was awful for him and his dementia got worse over the last 12 months. I cared for him, with help, till February this year, when he went into full-time care at Meadowrythe in Tamworth. He is well looked after and I visit as often as I like. I see him declining and it's horrible that he doesn't always know me or our children and grandchildren. We have been married for 46 years and I miss the retirement we could have had together.
He is 70 in August !!

I am walking in memory of my wonderful beautiful mam Susan we sadly lost mam last July age 66 my mam got diagnosed with mixed dementia in mams late 50s nothing prepares you for this cruel unpredictable disease it took everything from mam and ourselves as a family but mams smile and resilience stayed with her always my mam was my best friend who would help anyone and to see this devastating disease take hold is heartbreaking and something i will never get over so I want to walk for mam and for everyone else affected by this cruel disease.

I'm walking in memory of my dad who passed away 04/05/2025 at the age of 77. My dad was always one for having a laugh and he told terrible jokes. My dad never let his diagnosis define who he was. He battle with alzheimers , vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies was short. Even on the worst of days you could see him fighting to show he was still here. Love and Miss my dad more than words can say

I’m walking for my beautiful Nana who we lost just 3 days before Christmas to Alzheimer’s. My Nana was like no other woman, strong, full of life, just a force to be reckoned with. Alzheimer’s made her a shell of her former self, which is why I think it’s so important we continue to raise awareness and do what we can to take the necessary steps to fight this cruel disease. I miss her more than I can put into words, but I live my own life in memory and honour of her. Alzheimer’s may have taken the last few years of her life from her, but she still remains a force to be reckoned with and loved and missed deeply by us all. For you Nana💙