Banbury charity finds new home in town centre after funding boost

Andrew Gill and Melissa Fazackerley with Dementia Active the Banbury-based charity, and a few members of Kelly’s Heroes, who presented the charity with the cheque.

Banbury-based charity Dementia Active has found a new home thanks to funding provided by a massive cycling challenge taken on by a group of cyclists from Kelly's Heroes.

Kelly's Heroes recently presented officials with Dementia Active charity with a cheque for £9,237 from their cycling challenge. In September the group of friends from Kelly's Heroes carried out a sponsored bike ride from Broughton Castle to Land’s End over three days.

Officials with the Dementia Active charity hosted a buffet meal on Saturday November 13 for around 65 people to pay tribute to the cyclists and their fundraising efforts.

Banbury charity - Dementia Active - has found a home in the town centre thanks to a funding boost from a 300-mile cycling challenge by members of Kelly's Heroes.

Andy Gill, the CEO of the Dementia Active charity, said: “We must thank Kelly’s Heroes for making it possible for the charity to open a centre in Banbury as there are no support services similar to ours for people with dementia. We are determined to make our groups accessible to as many people as possible.”

The fundraising efforts from the cycling challenge by members of Kelly's Heroes will make it possible for the Demential Active charity to move into a new location in Bridge Street facing Banbury Town Hall. The charity is aiming to open in January 2022.

The charity currently provides a range of activities designed to stimulate cognitive functioning to small groups in community halls across the Cherwell area. Crucially the sessions enable carers to have some respite time to themselves.

For more information about the charity see its website here: https://dementiactive.co.uk/Melissa Fazackerley, a trustee of the charity, said: “Dementia is an invisible disease and compared to the support which people with cancer receive, it is still in the dark ages. Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres are amazing examples of what can be achieved. Our charity is beginning its journey with its sights set upon creating a home in the centre of Banbury for those who have dementia and their families.”

Banbury-based charity Dementia Active will soon find its new home at 25-26 Bridge Street, Banbury (photo from Rightmove)

People who attended a recent Dementia Active event held at Aynho Village Hall talked about how much they enjoy coming out. One person said: ”We never get to go out for meals anymore, restaurant staff don’t always understand what people with dementia need.”