Westerleigh Group has donated nearly £71,000 to Dementia UK following a campaign which ran during World Alzheimer’s month.

Between September 4 and October 15, Westerleigh Group pledged to make donations to the specialist dementia nursing charity for every time families chose to remember their own loved ones by buying a memorial.

Westerleigh Group is one of the UK’s largest independent owners and operators of cemeteries and crematoria, with 40 sites in England, Scotland, and Wales, all set within beautifully landscaped gardens of remembrance which provide pleasant, peaceful places for people to visit and reflect.

The group named Dementia UK as its corporate charity partner for 2023, and the World Alzheimer’s Month donations was just one way in which the group has raised funds, with the aim of donating a minimum of £120,000 during the course of the year.

Anyone who purchased a memorial during the qualifying period triggered a donation from Westerleigh Group – at no cost at all to the buyer – the funds came from Westerleigh Group’s metal recycling scheme.

With the consent of families, metals recovered during cremation are recycled, and any money raised is used to support charities and other worthy causes which make a positive difference to people’s lives.

Dr Hilda Hayo, Dementia UK’s CEO and Chief Admiral Nurse, said: “This is an amazing amount and, along with Westerleigh Group’s other fundraising efforts will go towards funding Stuart - one of our dementia specialist Admiral Nurses who supports families on our Helpline.

“Experienced and compassionate, our nurses offer the practical solutions and emotional support that families living with the struggles and complexities of dementia need.

“We are indebted to partners like Westerleigh Group, who help ensure that we can provide the quality of care that we would all want for ourselves and our loved ones.”

One in two people will be affected by dementia in their lifetime, either by caring for someone with the condition, developing it themselves, or both. There are over 200 different types of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being one of the most common forms.

This means Dementia UK needs to increase the number of dementia specialist Admiral Nurses, who are continually supported and developed by the charity, to provide life-changing advice and support to anyone affected by dementia, whenever it’s needed.

Matthew Brook, Head of Partnerships and Propositions at Westerleigh Group, said: “We are dedicated to serving our communities with exceptional care, a value shared by Dementia UK which is one of the reasons for choosing them as our corporate charity partner this year.

“We are pleased to be able to donate nearly £71,000 to the charity from our World Alzheimer’s Month fundraising campaign.

“Special thanks goes to all the families who chose one of our memorial options during this time - every purchase they made triggered a donation from Westerleigh Group and helped towards achieving this incredible amount.

“It is a privilege to know that our memorials will provide years of comfort to the bereaved and the donation will be put to extremely good use, funding vital and valuable support to families living with dementia, when they need it.”