A grieving daughter is hosting a Big Green Picnic to raise vital funds for a charity close to her heart. Paula Poston lost her father, Roy Lowry, to dementia earlier this year and was keen to find a charity she could support in her role as chair of social networking club Chelmsford County Tangent. Dementia Adventure, a national charity based in Chelmsford, launched the Big Green Picnic campaign last year, encouraging those whose lives have been impacted by dementia to enjoy the outdoors with their friends and families.
Benefits of Nature for Dementia
The charity promotes the benefits of nature and being outdoors and believes that, with the right support, people with dementia can experience joy, adventure and meaningful connections. This July, it is hoped Big Green Picnics will be held up and down the county to promote the importance of being in nature to help people feel connected, supported and less isolated.
Chelmsford County Tangent's Involvement
Chelmsford County Tangent, part of the Round Table family for women over 45, is among the groups that have signed up to host a picnic this summer. Paula said: "I took over as chair of the club in April, and as part of my role, I get to decide whether we support a charity for the year. My father, who passed away in February, had dementia, and I had been caring for him with the help of my sister, even though he still lived independently."
"I wanted to find a charity for dementia, but something maybe a little more local rather than a big society for research. The one thing I realised after my father passed was how much of my life had been consumed with the whole situation, and I was just a daughter. I love the fact that Dementia Adventure is trying to make a difference for people living with dementia, but also for the carers, wives, husbands, and partners who live with this 24 hours a day, too."
Picnic Details and Fundraising
The picnic will be held as the group's monthly get-together in July in a member's garden in Chelmsford. Members and their friends will pay £5 to attend the picnic, and there will be a raffle to raise funds for Dementia Adventure. The club is also holding a World Cup sweepstake to raise funds for Dementia Adventure.
A toolkit with guidance on organising a successful Big Green Picnic, along with fundraising ideas, can be found at dementiaadventure.org/big-green-picnic/big-green-picnic-resources.
