Care home Memory Walk raises funds for Alzheimer’s Society

A CARE home activities coordinator has been pacing the courtyard where she works to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Sarah O’Shaughnessy, who works at Aaron Crest Care Home, Tanhouse Road, Skelmersdale, completed 10,000 steps for “a charity that is close to our hearts”.

Staff and residents at the home, which has specialist dementia care facilities, cheered and supported Sarah during her Memory Walk – some joining her for a few laps.

The team had a slogan to keep them going while clocking up the miles, their own version of The Proclaimer’s famous song “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”.

They could be heard chanting: “And we will walk 5,000 steps, and we will walk 5,000 more, just to be the ones who walk 10,000 steps to help them find a cure!”

Sarah has raised £153 in sponsorship for the Alzheimer’s Society.

She is looking forward to receiving a medal from the charity, which she will be dedicating to the residents who helped her complete the memory walk.

One resident, Keith Keenan, completed 20 laps of the courtyard with Sarah. He said: “I think it’s brilliant that Sarah has done this. It was great to walk along with her.”

Sarah said: “Because of Covid you could set your own Memory Walk for the Alzheimer’s Society this year, so I decided to do 10,000 steps here at Aaron Crest.

“It’s been a tough 12 months and I know that charities have been struggling so I thought it would be nice to raise some money for a charity that is close to our hearts.

“Plus, it cheered residents up to know they were supporting me to raise money for charity. I was cheered on and supported by the staff and residents and they helped me celebrate every 1,000 steps.

“A big thank you to everyone who sponsored me and a special shout out to Peter, Keith, Lorraine, Pauline and Beryl for walking with me and cheering me on in the courtyard. We did 13,000 steps all together.”