by John Prince
Every year, as part of the Alzheimer’s Society’s fundraising efforts, Memory Walks are held across the country, bringing together thousands of people to remember loved ones, support those living with dementia and raise money for vital services and research.
The walks take place during September and October, offering an opportunity for families, friends and supporters to come together, share their experiences and remember those whose lives have been affected by dementia.
On Sunday, October 11, Gazette editor Sam Hawcroft and I joined hundreds of other walkers at Temple Newsam in Leeds, taking part in the event in memory of my mum, Joan Prince, who passed away in February last year after living with mixed dementia.
My mum was a remarkable woman. She was a teacher who brought up two boys on her own, travelled the world, lived all over the UK and was fiercely independent, intelligent, funny, warm and beautiful – and so very loved.
She loved life and exploring and had so much to offer the world and so much love to give, especially to me and my late brother Roger and the countless children she taught and whose lives she changed in her career which lasted almost 50 years. Mum was a committed Christian, a loyal friend and an inspiration to so many.
Then dementia cruelly took away a chunk of what made her who she was.
Watching someone you love gradually lose the independence, confidence and abilities they once took for granted is something that’s difficult to put into words.
For mum it wasn’t immediate – more like a slow drip. And not every day was a “bad day”. Far from it. It was akin to being introduced to an unwelcome visitor in our lives some mornings, not knowing what the day ahead would bring.
While dementia affects every person differently, its impact reaches far beyond the person with the diagnosis.
I miss my mum every single day. I miss her humour, her warmth, her generosity, her smiles and laughs and her wisdom. Just simply having her there to have a chat. There are so many things I wish I could still share with her.
But I also want to remember the extraordinary woman she was and the wonderful times we had, rather than allow dementia to ever define her.
She was my mum long before the illness came along, and she will always be so much more than what happened to her in the last year or so after we moved to Hornsea.
That’s the reason I walked and I continue to support the Alzheimer’s Society.
Memory Walk is one of the charity’s major annual fundraising events. In 2024, more than 27,000 people took part in 26 walks across the country, raising more than £2.7 million.
The money raised helps fund vital support for people living with dementia and their families, as well as research into better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
And the donations make a real difference.
According to the charity, £200 could fund a community dementia adviser for a day, while £300 could pay for a Singing for the Brain session, helping people living with dementia connect with others through music – something that was very important in our family.
Alzheimer’s Society also provides practical advice, emotional support and information to families trying to navigate the often bewildering challenges that come with a dementia diagnosis.
The charity invested more than £15 million in new dementia research during 2023–24, seeking better ways to treat the condition and improve the lives of those affected.
Memory Walks are free to enter, with participants encouraged to raise £175 in sponsorship, although there is no minimum amount required to take part.
Most of this can be done through social media, with the money going directly to the Alzheimer’s Society.
In Leeds, organisers said that around 1,200 people took part on the day. If all of them reached their fundraising target, it would have meant more than £200,000 was raised at that one event alone.
For most, however, the experience is about much more than raising money. It’s a chance to remember the people they love, support others going through similar experiences and help ensure that nobody affected by dementia has to face it alone.
There were plenty of smiles, conversations and shared memories at Temple Newsam, as well as a few tears.
I’m from West Yorkshire so in a way it was nice doing the walk on home turf, knowing that our Yorkshire brass is going to help folk all over the country.
I am so very sad that nothing can bring my mum back, but I genuinely hope that taking part will help other families facing what we went through – and that every step was another way of celebrating the incredible woman she was.
Mum always said: “Try to help others as much as you can, give as much love as you receive, and don’t let me down.”
I’m not sure about the last bit sometimes, but I hope Mum would be proud.
