Thousands join Alzheimer's Society's Memory Walk at Clumber Park

Clumber Park Memory Walk From left: Kim Laughton (39), Margaret (74) , Scott Smith, AlzheimerÃ¢Â¬"s Society operations manager Jo Watt (40) and her husband Philip (52) start the walk. Picture by: Shawn Ryan

Walkers of all ages wearing bright blue t-shirts formed a tide that swept through Clumber Park, determined to put dementia on the back foot.

More than 5,500 people took part in the Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Walk on Sunday, October 7 to raise money to fight the UK’s biggest killer

Scott Smith, Alzheimer’s Society operations manager, said: “Dementia devastates lives; it slowly strips people of their memories, relationships and identities. People are uniting against dementia to fight for a better future. Thank you for your support.”

Jo Watts, 40, and her husband Philip, 52, chose an 8.5km stretch over a 2km stroll – despite him having undergone a heart transplant and Jo a pancreas and kidney transplant.

He said: “So many families are being hit by dementia and what it’s doing to my wonderful mother-in-law kills me every time I see her.

“That’s why we had to be at Clumber Park, with all of these people you feel that you’re not alone. The support is wonderful.”

Jo, from Sutton, the office manager at radio station Mansfield 103.2, defied arthritis and painful fibromyalgia for the walk and said: “We just had to go for it.”

Anyone who missed out can even organise a walk, Your Walk, Your Way, to find out more go to memorywalk.org.uk

This year, Memory Walk aims to raise £9million with 40 walks nationally and has already brought together 100,000 walkers across the generations – more than ever before.