Dementia charity in Plymouth benefits from support of city's building society branch

A charity that helps enrich the lives of people with dementia has benefited from a donation of almost £2,000, thanks to colleagues at a Plymouth building society branch.

Memory Matters, which works across Devon and Cornwall to improve the quality of life for those affected by dementia, received £1,902 from Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation after being nominated for support by Society staff.

The donation will be used to purchase equipment to regulate the temperature in the organisation’s practice room, to make the space more comfortable and allow for better concentration for the 40 individuals Memory Matters workshops support each week.

Martin Truman, manager of Yorkshire Building Society’s Plymouth branch, said: “We’re delighted to have been able to support Memory Matters through the Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation and are pleased the money will provide real help to all those working for, and attending, the service. The work they do to support people in our local community is fantastic and I’m so glad our branch nomination has contributed to improving the space where they do their workshops.”

Vannessa Jones, finance manager at Memory Matters, said: “We are really thankful for the donation from Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation that will help us continue to provide our services. Our beneficiaries will love to have cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter.  The environment is so important for people affected by dementia to help them get the best out of therapy sessions.”

Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation is funded through the Small Change Big Difference® scheme where members donate the pennies from the interest on their accounts just once a year to help smaller charities around the UK. Members and colleagues can nominate charities to receive financial support, and since making its first donation in 1999 the Foundation has donated more than £9million to communities where the Society’s staff and members live and work.

If you would like to find out more about Memory Matters please visitwww.memorymatters.org.uk  for further information.