Determined schoolchildren presented with certificates for raising £300 with memory walk

Date published: 06 October 2019

Three pupils at St Gabriel’s RC Primary School, Castleton, have been presented with a special certificate after raising over £300 for the Alzheimer’s Society with a memory walk in September.

Ruby Dean, six, her little brother Rory, four, and best friend Joseph Ashton, five, were presented with certificates on Friday 4 October by Littleborough and District Lions, who organised the memory walk at Hollingworth Lake last month, for raising £330.

Determined Ruby took part in the walk, joined by Rory and Joseph, in honour of her grandmother, Catherine McHale, who was diagnosed with the disease when she was just 65.

Alzheimer's disease affects more than 520,000 people in the UK and is the most common cause of dementia, a set of symptoms that can include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language.

Ruby and Rory’s mum, Siobhan, said: “At first we were just going to take part and pay the entry fee as our contribution to this amazing charity. However, just two nights before the walk, Ruby asked if she could ‘collect money for poorly people like Granny; it might help make their brains better’. I couldn't say no to this so thought I'd just ask my immediate family for a few pounds, so she felt she was contributing.

“On the day of the walk, I posted a picture on social media of how excited she was and the donations started to flood in.

“My mum was still working full time when she began to notice the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. She spent her whole adult life working in schools and gave all her spare time to help at school and church events, which I think helped massively with Ruby’s fundraising.”

Siobhan continued: “At only six years old, Ruby doesn't want others to suffer as a family, like we have, to this cruel disease. I gave up work to become mum’s full-time carer for five years, until last July when her needs became too much for me to look after her on my own.

“Both Ruby and I still see her every day down at her care home, where the residents have adopted Ruby as their own. She certainly brightens up their day and Ruby and my mum have the loveliest bond, where both believe they are looking after each other.”