Fife woman ‘gives back’ to charity with daily 5km walks

Frances Durward has already raised over £1200 for the charity, which powers world-class studies focusing on prevention, diagnosis, and treatments for dementia.

Frances said: “I am so happy to be walking for Alzheimer’s Research UK. A son of one of my friends is working on this very type of dementia research in England and have heard so many stories from people I have met whilst out walking of their relatives who have had this illness.

“My mother had this (dementia) for many years, and it was heartbreaking to see her diminish before my eyes, so it has taken me the ensuing seven years to be able to give something back.

“I also realised that especially during this visual time the charity would need all the help it could get so I’m very happy to help. I’ve had donations from Inverness to London, and from Perth, Scotland to Dunedin in New Zealand.”

Frances has been taking photos during her walks and sharing them online.

She said her walk is “going well” and she has been choosing different routes to show off the range of beautiful walks around the area.

She added: “I was voluntarily shielding for four months at the beginning and, although I am now outdoors and walking, mainly solo, I am extremely careful and avoid passing anyone close by and choose my time when the paths are quiet.”

Stacy Rowan, Scottish regional fundraising officer at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We’re so grateful to Frances and her incredible efforts supporting Alzheimer’s Research UK. Dementia affects a significant proportion of the population – one in three people over 65 in the UK will die with some form of the condition.

“Fantastic fundraising efforts like this will help us to make life-changing research breakthroughs for people with dementia.”

To sponsor Sinead visit – www.justgiving.com/fundraising/frances-durward.

For further information about Alzheimer’s Research UK, or to find out more about fundraising for the charity, call 0300 111 5555 or visit www.alzheimersresearchuk.org