Sleaford Town Awards 2019 - Three nominees for Charity of the Year Award

It began as an activity group for people with dementia and their carers in January 2017, due to the Alzheimer’s Society losing funding and withdrawing services. The community group brought together people from the town and villages to run games, trips, pottery painting, flower arranging and eating out.

After a matter of months the group became a registered charity due to financial support from the people of Sleaford.

Since completing their first year they have started a Carers Plus group to support the carer too. Campaigning has brought in Admiral Nurses for the county and they have been involved in the recent launch of the county dementia strategy and delivering workshops to show Sleaford group as a shining example.

Some members are no longer with the group due to progression of their disease, but others join all the time.

○ Sleaford and District Civic Trust has been extremely active over the last two to three years seeking to enhance the historic tourism status of Sleaford and is one of our Charity of the Year nominees

It has taken a lead on the Sleaford Castle project with the Town Council to develop its historic status and make it more accessible, promoting further research of the site. They hope to create a ‘friends’ group to maintain this momentum. The Trust plans a Lincolnshire Heritage Open Day event there too.

Other activities being undertaken include the recent project to refurbish the town’s signs and add golden eagles to mark the centenary of its RAF connection. The annual photographic competition for adults and children on the historic fabric of the town has led to a limited edition book. The Trust has also created an interactive video trail.

It has also led a successful Heritage Lottery bid to renovate the Bristol Water Fountain in the Market Place.

○ The Guillain-Barre and Associated Inflammatory Neuropathies charity is another nominee for the charity award.

Glennys Sanders, of Sleaford, founded the Guillain Barre Syndrome Support Group in 1985 after she had been unable to find out anything about her illness.

Originally offering information and support to those affected by GBS, the charity has grown and changed its name to reflect a wider range of conditions. Glennys is the charity’s President Emeritus and opened its new headquarters in the town in January.

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare autoimmune condition affecting the peripheral nerve system, usually leading to temporary or long-term paralysis and even death. GAIN helps people in UK and Ireland understand and manage acute and chronic variants of the syndrome and promotes research, without any Government funding.