Mayor's Charity of the Year Success

Barnsley Independent Alzheimer's and Dementia Support would like to thank Mayor Margaret Sheard, her consort, Tom Sheard and all of the mayoral team for the truly amazing support they have given BIADS during her year in office. Throughout the borough the Mayor has inspired fundraising for all three of her charities and for BIADS this has meant a meteoric start to their essential work supporting people with dementia and their carers across the borough. With the launch of Barnsley's Dementia Strategy has come an increase in the number of people with dementia being referred to BIADS for support, from the Memory Team, GPs, Social Care and by carers themselves, and the £10,000 plus donated by the Mayor's charity fund has enabled BIADS to pilot a Carer Support Scheme to ensure that all of those who come to us for help are offered the services, support and respect they deserve. The pilot has been a great success and now we are looking for more permanent funding to be able to make this service something that carers can rely on throughout their journey with this devastating illness.

BIADS' Development Manager, Pam Evans, said "The Mayor has not ceased to amaze us during her year of office and without Margaret and the efforts of all of those that support her BIADS would not have been able to have had the strong start that they did. BIADS and the Mayor have something in common and that is our desire to do the very best for the people of Barnsley." The Mayor has supported BIADS right from its launch until the end of her year in office visiting the BIADS' singing group on Monday to hand over the money raised by the Barnsley Newham Partnership 10k run in London on March 27th of £2191.50 taking the total raised in support of BIADS in her year to over £10,000.

BIADS' Manager, Linda Pattison, said, "Margaret and Tom have become good friends to us all at BIADS, whenever they come to our events they join in with the laughter and fun. However, Margaret has become well known for attempting to present us with a donation and then bursting into tears before she can get her words out. To this day we have still to hear one of her presentation speeches all the way through! But there's nothing wrong with showing you care and Margaret has done that in so many ways this year." BIADS would like to thank our lovely Mayor Margaret Sheard for all of her tireless work on our behalf and for enabling us to employ someone that will be dedicated to the well being of the carers of our people with dementia so that they will all continue to live well with dementia in Barnsley.