A MAN who raised thousands of pounds to help fund dementia research at Cardiff University has launched a new support group for people with the condition and their carers in Blaenavon.
Bill Weaver, 81, started raising money for dementia research after attending a support group in Pontypool with his wife Julie, who died last year.
He raised a combined total of more than £3,000 after shaving his head in Pontypool Indoor Market in 2016 and 2018, and is now determined to pass on the help he received while caring for his wife to others.
Mr Weaver, who will still be helping out at the Pontypool support group, said he was hoping the new group would provide some much-needed respite for carers.
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“I wanted to start a support centre in Blaenavon, as when I was doing some research, I found there were quite a lot of people registered with dementia in the town,” he said.
“A lot of the work we will do will be to support the carers. You can get very lonely as a carer, as you are limited in how much you can go out and do things.
“As long as the carers can leave happier at the end of the session than they were before, then I will be happy.”
(Bill Weaver with one of the volunteers at the Dementia Support Group at Bethlehem Church in Blaenavon. Picture: Mathew Bartlett.)
The group meets every Monday from 2pm to 4pm at Bethlehem Church in Broad Street.
It offers advice, support, and a range of activities for people with dementia and their carers to join in together.
So far, Mr Weaver has organised singing groups, dance lessons and art activities for the group.
There is also information available about benefits, social services care and other services such as the Blue Badge scheme and the disabled toilet access scheme.
“If you need someone to talk to, or feel alone and isolated why not drop in?” said Mr Weaver.
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