Former Mayor of the London Borough of Barnet Councillor Lisa Rutter met the Minister of Health Jeremy Hunt at his office on Tuesday 10th February to present a cheque to the Alzheimer’s Society.
Following a Charity fund raising event organised by Councillor Lisa Rutter and The Zemel Choir in December last year at the Saracens Allianz Park, £6300 was raised for the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Cafes to keep the cafes running in Barnet.
Lisa opened the first Dementia Café in Barnet at the Finchley Memorial Hospital in August 2013 with funds raised when she was Mayor of the Borough. She has been running the café with the Alzheimer’s Society on the second Wednesday of every month from 2pm – 4pm.
The café provides people with Dementia and their carers a place where they can relax and chat over a cup of tea and cake, enjoy various activities and most of all ask questions and learn about this terrible disease.
The café has been a great success and Lisa is hoping with the extra funds raised she will be able to continue running the café at the Finchley Memorial Hospital on a weekly basis. Lisa is delighted that the Minister for Health Jeremy Hunt supports the importance of Dementia Cafes and was very pleased to be invited to his office.
David Cameron also recognizes that Dementia now stands alongside cancer as one of the greatest concerns.
A new film which has just been released entitled ‘Still Alice’ portrays a woman Professor at University who develops a rare form of Familial Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 50.
This film will help towards raising awareness of Dementia. It is important that we continue to raise more awareness of this terrible disease and also to wipe out the stigma associated with Dementia.
Names left to right in the photo attached;
Standing to the left of Councillor Lisa Rutter is Morella Kayman MBE Co –Founder of the Alzheimer’s Society. Next to Morella is Dr Benjamin Wolf (Musical Director of the Zemel Choir).Next to Benjamin is Mr Tim McLachlan (Alzheimer’s Society Operations Manager, Director for Greater London)
To the right of the Minister of Health Jeremy Hunt is Mr Anthony Cohen (Marketing Manager for the Zemel Choir.) Next to Anthony is Diane Sheer (Chairman of the Zemel choir) and next to Diane is Peggy Cibekhulu (Carer)
Sitting in the chairs;
To the left is Father Spiros Gavriel (Greek Orthodox priest at St Michael’s Church in Golders Green and his wife Tasoulla Gavriel (Parents of Councillor Lisa Rutter)
To the right sitting in the chairs are David and Beryl Cohen (parents of Mr Anthony Cohen)