Cadent’s ‘elfless Coventry staff deliver a festive bonus for people living with dementia

• Cadent’s Coventry staff raise over £3,200 for people living with dementia
• Employees decree 21 December as their Elf Day for Alzheimer’s Society
• Efforts part of a two-year, £100,000 fundraising partnership with Alzheimer’s Society

Big-hearted staff at the Coventry offices of gas network Cadent turned Santa’s little helpers to deliver an early Christmas present for Alzheimer’s Society.

Caring employees decreed 21 December as their own Elf Day in aid of charity. In return for a donation to Alzheimer’s Society, staff donned pointy ears, jingly bells and the distinctive red and green of Father Christmas’ favourite assistants and went all-out to raise a special Christmas bonus for people living with dementia.

Staff who were decked out in Elf finery could take an ‘Elfie Selfie’, while raffles for a chocolate hamper and a giant teddy bear helped to swell the charity coffers. Employees fed up with present-wrapping could hand over the job to the Elf Gift Wrapping Station, in return for a donation to Alzheimer’s Society.

Students from two local special schools – Coventry’s Exhall Grange and Coleshill’s Woodlands School – who are with Cadent on the company’s EmployAbility year-long supported internships, served a festive lunch and sold Christmas decorations.

The employees’ ‘elfless efforts raised more than £1600 – a sum set to double to £3,200 thanks to Cadent’s matched giving scheme.

David Parkin, Cadent’s Director of Safety and Network Strategy, is championing the company’s two-year, £100,000 fundraising partnership with Alzheimer’s Society.

He said: “This is a tremendous effort. It is heartening to see how our staff have got behind the effort to raise funds and transform the lives of those living with dementia and their carers.

“Someone develops dementia every three minutes. The money we have raised will provide vital support services for people with dementia and ultimately help to find a cure for this condition.”

Lucy Polling, Corporate Account Executive at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “It’s fantastic to see Cadent staff embracing Elf Day and getting involved with local communities in Coventry. This is a great example of people coming together to unite against dementia and we are very grateful for Cadent’s fundraising.”

Cadent announced its partnership with Alzheimer’s Society in June after employees voted for it to become the company’s nominated charity. The company has pledged to raise £100,000 for Alzheimer’s Society over two years and to make at least 1,000 employees ‘Dementia Friends’.

‘Dementia Friends’ information sessions help people better understand the challenges faced by those living with dementia and the small ways in which they can help.

Alzheimer’s Society provides information and support, funds research and creates lasting change for people affected by dementia. For more information about Alzheimer’s Society go to alzheimers.org.uk

10 facts about dementia

• 850,000 people with dementia in the UK – set to rise to one million by 2021.
• Dementia is the leading cause of death in England and Wales.
• One person develops dementia every three minutes.
• Dementia is not a natural part of ageing – over 40,000 people under the age of 65 are living with the condition.
• Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain – diseases such as Alzheimer’s cause nerve cells to die, damaging the structure and chemistry of the brain.
• It’s not just about memory loss. Although dementia often starts by affecting short-term memory, it can also affect the way people think, speak, perceive things, feel and behave.
• People can still live well with dementia. Scientists and researchers are working to find a cure but until then support and treatments are available that can help with dementia symptoms and managing daily lives.
• £40 pays for five people with dementia to attend an Alzheimer’s Society ‘Singing for the Brain’ session
• £150 pays for an Alzheimer’s Society National Dementia Helpline Advisor to provide 10 hours of crucial support to people affected by dementia
• £610 would pay for a Doctoral Training Centre to run for one day helping up to eight PhD researchers carry out ground-breaking studies in dementia research

Pictured left to right: Angela Ullah, Laura Barnes, Tanya Hutchinson, and Natalie Murray (front).