Alzheimer Scotland has received over £8000 from Nationwide Building Society to help fund the UK’s first Virtual Dementia Resource Centre to support families living with dementia across Scotland.
This is part of a wider grants programme at Nationwide – any Nationwide employee can apply for a grant of up to £10,000 on behalf of a local charity. Twenty four charities across the UK have received a share of just over £200,000 in the recent round of grants, with Alzheimer Scotland being one of the successful charities.
Alzheimer Scotland is Scotland’s leading dementia charity. They support and enable people living with dementia to live well with the disease, keeping them connected to their community. They provide a network of specialist Dementia Advisors, NHS Dementia Nurses, Dementia Research Centres, a Freephone 24-hour Dementia Helpline and numerous local support services in communities across Scotland.
Alzheimer Scotland is building the UK’s first Virtual Dementia Resource Centre (VRC) to help keep people connected and to ensure that no one faces dementia alone.
This, innovative digital project will offer a warm and welcoming online space for people to meet, share experiences and access information, support and expertise. It will make the charity’s invaluable services permanently accessible, 24 hours a day, to people living with dementia, their carers and families across Scotland.
Specifically, Nationwide’s investment will fund the development of the financial advice zone within the VRC, which will be a hub of information to give advice, guidance and recommendations around practical money matters for those on a journey with dementia.
William Campbell, Nationwide Building Society Branch Manager in Oban, comments: “I work really closely with Alzheimer Scotland by arranging for all of the Nationwide Branches in Scotland to become Dementia Friendly through receiving virtual training sessions delivered by Alzheimer Scotland.
“When the opportunity to apply for a grant for the charity came up, I jumped at the chance. With many charities struggling for funding in these times, it was a proud day working for Nationwide hearing Alzheimer Scotland had been chosen to receive a grant for their project.”
Claire Du Preez from Alzheimer Scotland said: “We are enormously grateful to Nationwide for this generous donation. The impact of COVID-19 on our dementia community has been devastating and the people we support have never needed us more.
“Our new Virtual Resource Centre will help expand our reach, making our support accessible to all. The financial advice area, funded by Nationwide, will be a crucially important resource, guiding families through the practical implications of financial management post-diagnosis, and offering key advice and recommendations to better prepare for the future.
“On behalf of the charity, I would like to thank Nationwide for this welcome support. It will make such a big difference.”
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