1 | BRACE www.alzheimers-brace.org

From the first working day of January, we have been hearing of new supporters for our “Silver Service” fundraising campaign, new events organised by volunteers and new people to represent us in sponsored activities.

You can read about the Silver Service campaign on page 16 and find out about special fundraising events on page 13.

What we most want to say to all our supporters over many years is… thank you! BRACE started from very small beginnings in 1987 and has raised millions of pounds for research. This is because thousands of people simply refused to be beaten by the horror of dementia.

Because of their efforts, BRACE has been able to pump desperately needed resources into research. Scientists funded by this charity have contributed to the astonishing progress made by medical science and the growing hope is that more powerful treatments will be available within a few years.

Much more is needed, of course. For us, a Silver Anniversary is no more an end than a beginning. It is a time to reflect on how far we have come and redouble our efforts for the next phase of the battle.

Whether you have given money or time, or persuaded others to join in, we are grateful for all that you have already done. This newsletter and our website will tell you the many ways in which you can help us even more.

Our 25th anniversary year has made a great start and we are making the whole of 2012 a celebration.

Anniversary EventsWhy not come along and celebrate - see page 13

Where your money goesHow the projects you fund are selected page 5

Research News and ViewsProfessor Seth Love answers your questions on page 10

newsletterSpring 2012www.alzheimers-brace.org

Thanks to you!

2 | BRACE www.alzheimers-brace.org

Ali said, “I was delighted to be able to take part in the BRACE Autumn Fair. BRACE is a great charity and it was lovely to see what a good turnout it got for its fair. Alzheimer’s is a terrible illness and, like most people, I have had to

watch people I care about suffer from it. We should do all we can to defeat it.”

Another major contribution came from Red Maids’ Junior School, who provided the cake

stall. We were delighted that a strong contingent of pupils and teachers was able to come to run the stall.

We were again indebted to C J Hole (Henleaze), who sponsored the fair

and delivered 2,000 flyers advertising it.

When the proceeds were counted, total income topped £2,000, roughly £500 more than the previous year, a great success.

500 Club – our own lottery

BRACE has its own licensed lottery, and to enter costs just £1 per week payable by standing order. The draw is made each week and the winner receives one quarter of the proceeds. The other three quarters goes into the fund for research.

We are about half way to the maximum 500 members, and when we get there, the prize will be £125 a week and £375 will go to research.

What a great way to increase BRACE’s regular income! Contact the BRACE Appeal Office for more information and an application form.

Fantastic fair!

The Autumn Newsletter winner of the First’s Competition was Mrs S C Stone from Mangotsfield, Bristol who won a BRACE Christmas Goodie Bag.

The winner of the Chemicals competition in the January Update was Mrs G Seagrave from Downend, Bristol who won a £20 gift voucher.

Congratulations to all our winners and good luck with our latest competition.

The fair is a regular feature of the BRACE calendar and is both an important fundraiser and an opportunity to make more people aware of our work. Last year it again took place at the Newman Hall in Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol.

Our special guest was popular TV newsreader and radio presenter Ali Vowles from BBC Bristol. Ali opened the fair and stayed afterwards to meet people and look around the stalls.

OCTOBERSaT 6 Autumn Fair, Newman

Hall, Westbury-on-Trym, 10am – 12.30pm

FRi 19 and SaT 20 Collection Morrisons,

Fishponds

DECEMBER Sun 9 BRACE Carol Service, St

Mary Redcliffe Church, 3pm TuE 11 Collection at Tesco,

Kenn Road, Clevedon WED 12 and ThuRS 13 Collection Tesco Golden

Hill, Horfield, Bristol

For further information about any of these events please contact the BRACE Appeal OfficePRog

RAm

mE

oF E

vEntS

201

2

aPRiL SaT 14 Downend Village Fête,

Downend Cricket Club, South Glos, 12pm – 4pm

Sun 22 London Marathon

MaY MOn 14 BRACE Annual General

Meeting, The Grange Hotel (Mercure Bristol North) 7pm

Sun 20 Nailsea Charity Walk, Start & Finish at Scotch Horn Centre. Organised by Nailsea & Backwell Rotary Club

TuE 22 BRACE Golf Day, Henbury Golf Club

Thu 24 BRACE Anniversary Coffee Morning, St Monica’s, Cote Lane, Westbury on Trym, 10am to 12 noon

Sun 27 BUPA London 10k Run

JunE SaT 2 Collection at Almondsbury

Garden Centre, Over Lane, Almondsbury

SaT 2 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee event, Page Park Staple Hill 10am – 6pm

JuLY FRi 13 and SaT 14 Collection at Sainsbury’s

Kingswood SaT 14 Frenchay Flower Show,

Frenchay Common 1 – 5pm SaT 21 and Sun 22 Portishead Flower Show and

Country Fair

auGuST SaT 4 Collection at Sainsbury’s

Bloomfield Road, Brislington

FRi 17 and SaT 18 Collection at Morrison’s

Superstore, Fishponds Road

SEPTEMBER Sun 23 ‘A Night to Remember’

25th Anniversary evening. The Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol, 6.30pm

Sun 30 Bristol Half Marathon

Brian became a BRACE Trustee in 2004. He became Chairman of the charity’s own Scientific Advisory Committee, which assesses all research proposals and makes recommendations to the Trustees. Brian gave outstanding service to the charity and its many supporters by ensuring that money was spent where it was most likely to be effective in the fight against Alzheimer’s. He is succeeded in this role by Professor Stephen Lisney.

Brian Pickering had a distinguished career at the University of Bristol, where he worked from 1965 to 2001. He was variously Professor of Anatomy from 1978, Head of the Department of Anatomy 1978-92, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine 1985-87 and Deputy Vice-Chancellor 1992-2001. He has been Emeritus Professor since 2001.

BRACE is grateful to Brian for all that he has done to help in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

We are sorry to say goodbye to Professor Brian Pickering, who stepped down from the Board of Trustees at the end of 2011.

Brian’s outstanding work behind the scenes

In October, BRACE enjoyed its most successful Autumn Fair for several years.

Competition winners

call the BRACE appeal office on 0117 340 4831 Spring 2012 | 3

“BRACE is a great charity”

Ali Vowles

BRACE is a “fundraising” charity but it is also, of course, a “fund-spending” charity. While you have been helping us build up our funds, the charity’s Trustees have been making sure that they are spent where they are needed.

At their meetings in November 2011 and January 2012, the Trustees approved grants of more than £630,000. This was spread across six research projects and two grants for specific purchases in three universities (Bristol, Bath and Cardiff).

Research projects generally last between two and three years. The latest round of grants means that BRACE funded research currently in progress or due to start this year has a total value of more than £1.5 million. Between them, the scientists working on these projects are helping to turn the tide against dementia.

It’s a great achievement and one that belongs to volunteers, donors and BRACE supporters of every kind.

We publish reports on different research projects in our newsletter and details of BRACE-funded research are updated from time to time on our website.

How research grants are approved

The ultimate beneficiaries of our work are people anywhere in the world who might one day develop dementia. To achieve this, we support research in universities in the West Country and Cardiff. Focussing on this region is a sensible strategy for a charity of our size, and we have helped create a formidable and growing network of researchers.

BRACE has its own Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) under the chairmanship of Professor Stephen Lisney, one of our Trustees. When a researcher approaches BRACE with a proposal, it is first assessed by the SAC to make sure that it falls within our current policy guidelines. If it is acceptable in principle, the proposal is then sent to three carefully selected peer reviewers, all experts in the appropriate area of research.

The SAC then considers the proposal and expert reviews in detail and decides whether to recommend funding. The final decision is taken by the Trustees on the basis of the SAC’s recommendation.

This rigorous process is necessary to ensure that the money you raise is spent where it is mostly likely to be effective in the fight against dementia.

Remember us in your willBRACE received over half a million pounds last year in legacies. This represents a large number of supporters who, having covered the needs of their families, left a gift to support dementia research.

We can supply a short guide to making or modifying your will. Please contact us if you would like a copy.

A gift of your timeWe are also deeply grateful to people who give us their time and their talents. Volunteers are the lifeblood of BRACE, whether they are helping run events, taking part in sponsored activities or putting this newsletter in an envelope to post to you. Currently we need people to collect money outside supermarkets and to help set up sales or information tables at events. If you think you may be able to help please contact us.

Shopping onlineAn example of a “no cost way”, for anyone who ever shops online, is our account at www.spendandraise.com/brace If you follow this link you can shop at any of 150 or so major retailers. It will cost you no more than you would have paid anyway, and BRACE will receive commission.

A simple donationWhether it is £1 or £100 or any other amount, we are glad of your help. Most supporters either send a cheque by post or donate through our website, using their debit or credit card. If neither method is easy for you, please ring us for advice.

If you want to give £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10, you can now send it by text from your phone. Messages are free on all networks. All you need do is text “ALZH25”, followed by the amount, to 70070.

Regular givingA monthly donation, however small, helps BRACE plan on the basis of regular income. Just ask us for a standing order form.

Gift Aid it!If you pay income tax in the UK, please add Gift Aid. This will increase the value of your gift by 25% or more, but will not cost you a penny extra. We can supply a Gift Aid form, but you can also add Gift Aid to online donations and even text donations.

Ways to give

There are many ways to give to BRACE, and here are just a few of them.

Where your money goesTwo projects in the latest round of funding have already been announced in the press by the universities concerned:

BaTh univERSiTY – PROFESSOR DaviD BROWn

Led by Professor David Brown, the scientists at the University of Bath will study a protein called alpha-synuclein. This accumulates in the brain of patients who have dementia with Lewy bodies, as well as other diseases such as Parkinson’s. This project is jointly funded by BRACE and Alzheimer’s Research UK, the first time the two charities have collaborated in this way.

BRiSTOL univERSiTY – PROFESSOR SETh LOvE, DR MaEvE CaLDWELL anD OThERS

The research group have applied recent advances in stem cell technology to convert cells obtained from human adult skin biopsies into nerve cells of the type found in a part of the brain known as the nucleus basalis (nb). These nerve cells are a main source of the acetylcholine, a signalling chemical in the brain, and degenerate at an early stage in Alzheimer’s disease. This will enable researchers to test a range of hypotheses concerning the earliest abnormalities in Alzheimer’s.

4 | BRACE www.alzheimers-brace.org call the BRACE appeal office on 0117 340 4831 Spring 2012 | 5

I recently returned to Jerusalem to sell a flat where I had previously lived for 5 years. One of the many plus points of the flat was the great neighbours, who adopted us and were always on hand to chew the daily cud of the Middle East and offer any help.

Nissim spoke 7 languages and could fix anything, from water pipes to solar panels. He was a sprightly ‘go to guy’ in his late 70s and we met most days.

He and I would dissect the political issues of the day; he would give me a little back-story and I would understand more about the situation. In short, Nissim was a foreign journalist’s dream: a local with a keen sense of social justice, a man of deep convictions and passion, and passable enough English to convey some of that.

His wife Nitza spoke no English, so we tended to speak at each other, until our partners stepped in to translate.

Seeing them again was a part of the recent trip we really looked forward to. On their steps, Nitza greeted us warmly, but with the words “have you heard about Nissim – he has Alzheimer’s”. The next hour passed in a blur as she explained the recent story and my partner translated. He was out at a day centre, allowing her some much-needed rest. The next day we hesitantly returned. Nissim was sat quietly in a recliner. He smiled as we approached and held his hand, but we seemed to have slipped away into his vast store of memories, now inaccessible.

I was curious to hear that the doctors were using Rivastigmine patches with Nissim, and that they had been developed at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, but that after 4 months there was not much improvement.

For me, seeing Nissim reduced to a shadow of the man he was, was a terrible blow. My mother also has Alzheimer’s: she was diagnosed in 2007, and its progression has been much slower. I see her regularly and monitor her care with her GP and other professionals. Through this involvement, I’m studying the current science and have recently made a short film about my mum. I feel that Alzheimer’s is one of the biggest challenges for us in the 21st Century, and I’m grateful that BRACE and other organisations exist to support and promote this crucial research into potential cures.

James Murray-White,

a filmmaker and BRACE volunteer,

talks about his personal

experiences of Alzheimer’s.

A friend in Jerusalem

News in brief...

Members of Bristol Male Voice Choir raised an estimated £600, including Gift Aid, simply by not sending Christmas cards. They gave the money to BRACE instead. Thank you!

Thank you, Tom Lakos, for kick-starting our Silver Service fundraising campaign. Tom, of ProTom Fitness in Clifton, held a kickboxing event as a fundraiser in February.

Many thanks to the Front Room Art Trail in Totterdown for supporting us through their annual event last November.

Darin Melville works in a large gym in Portsmouth and was given an Elvis outfit as a gift! He decided to do an Elvis-themed Aqua class for women with a

suggested donation to BRACE. Over 30 people turned out and Darin raised £65 and awareness of the cause. Many thanks to Darin and apologies to the King!

Braceland?

Art for our sake

Terry Moore of Whitehall in Bristol raised £1,105 by appearing on Countdown, the popular TV programme. Terry, whose mother had dementia, raised money through sponsorship and donations.

giving us a dressing down!Staff at Simplyhealth in Bristol raised an astonishing £2,700 through their monthly dress down day. Thank you, everyone at Simplyhealth, for choosing BRACE as your top charity in January.

Hitting the right note

terry’s tv triumph

Kick-starting this year’s fundraising

Photograph © Bristol Evening Post.

6 | BRACE www.alzheimers-brace.org call the BRACE appeal office on 0117 340 4831 Spring 2012 | 7

Zara’s abseilZara’s Nan has suffered from Alzheimer’s for the last 13 years. Zara says, “My Nan has fought this illness bravely - she contracted it at a relatively young age but has taken lots of new trial medication in order to help the research that goes on at BRACE. She wouldn't still be here without the kindness and support that BRACE have given her and she cannot praise them highly enough”.

Zara wanted to do something for her Nan and for BRACE and so took part in a sponsored abseil 105 feet down the side of the building where she works. Zara admitted it was scary, but her courage netted hundreds of pounds for BRACE.

Run to the BeatDavid Jackson took part in “Run to the Beat”, a half marathon with live music played around the course. The course started and finished at the O2 Arena. David says, “It was really hard going, but the thought of the money I was raising for BRACE helped me over the finish line, in a personal-best time!”

tony BarkerTony was originally planning to run in the Stockholm Marathon but was unable to take part due to a chest infection. Having recovered, Tony ran in the New Forest Marathon completing the race in 3hrs and 57mins, beating his marathon personal best by 40 minutes. Tony and his wife Rachel wanted to raise some money as a thank you to BRACE for funding her PhD and to support our on-going work.

Bristol Half marathonThank you to all the 15 people who ran for us in the Bristol Half Marathon.

One of them was Sophie Morgan, who said, “I really enjoyed the Bristol Half Marathon. It was a great atmosphere and running for charity made it even more special. Being a neuroscience student I fully understand the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s disease. I chose BRACE as it supports research.”

“no mean feat for a 7 year old”Ruth Revell says, “My Nan (my 7 year old daughter Emma’s Great Nan), recently passed away. In more recent times Nan had suffered from memory problems and dementia. The chosen charity for Nan’s funeral was BRACE who had provided Nan with support during her illness. Rather than simply donating some money to the cause we thought it would be nice to do something to remember Nan by.

“Nan had a love of walking and was an active member of the Ramblers so it would seem apt that the challenge should be walking related. Having already climbed the highest mountain in Wales Emma had decided she would also like to try climbing the highest mountain in England. At a height of 978 metres and a distance of 6 miles that's no mean feat for a 7 year old.”

The challenge was completed in August and not only did Emma complete Scafell Pike she also conquered Great End, Ill Crag and Broad Crag on the same walk.

Emma is trek starOxford scientist Emma Thornton raised £1,200 for BRACE by trekking to the 4.5 km high lost Inca city of Machu Picchu in Peru. Emma was motivated to undertake the gruelling climb after her grandmother was diagnosed with dementia four years ago.

Emma said the thought of her grandmother kept her going when the trek got tough. She added, “The disease is so hard for the sufferer and their family and it would be great to one day have a cure or at the very least, some improvement in the medication. That’s why I wanted to raise money for BRACE, because they use the money to fund research in to dementia. The charity is also fairly local to where I grew up in Somerton, Somerset and it’s where my grandmother and Mum still live today.”

Emma was joined on the four day trek by her university friend and colleague David Crawford-Jones.

We would like to thank Emma for the huge effort she has made to raise funds for research, and for sending us several great photos!

Liverpool marathonAndy Walker, from Crosby, raised more than £3,000 for BRACE after his mother suffered a sudden onset of a complex form of Alzheimer’s. Andy was inspired to run the Liverpool Marathon when his mother’s condition deteriorated rapidly.

Andy said, “I know that it is too late for my mum but there is still much that can be done for other sufferers and their families. I chose to raise money for BRACE instead of one of the larger dementia charities because it specialises in funding scientific research.

“There are many unanswered questions with Alzheimer’s which, as I experienced, leave you feeling very confused wondering how something so devastating can happen so quickly. The more time and expertise we dedicate to Alzheimer’s research the more likely we are to find a cure.”

We are very grateful to Andy for his monumental fundraising effort. People like Andy make scientific research possible through their amazing generosity and sheer determination.

SPonSoRED EvEntS RoUnD-UP

8 | BRACE www.alzheimers-brace.org call the BRACE appeal office on 0117 340 4831 Spring 2012 | 9

Q: What are the most encouraging areas of

research at the moment?

A: I have to confess bias in answering this question, reflecting the emphasis

of our work in the Dementia Research Group. Despite promising data from animal studies by other groups, clinical trials of drugs that interfere with the production of amyloid β have so far been disappointing, as have attempts to remove amyloid β by immunisation.

Our research is directed at improving blood flow through the brain in dementia, and in using enzymes to break down the amyloid β in the brain. We believe that these approaches have a strong likelihood of clinical benefit and, in particular, that drugs with the potential to improve blood flow are ready to be tested in patients.

Reduced blood flow through the brain is an early abnormality in Alzheimer's disease, contributing to clinical deterioration and probably to disease progression. Some of the reduction is caused by structural changes to the blood vessels but a large part of the reduction results from abnormal constriction of the vessels. We have identified several, already-licensed drugs with the potential to reverse the abnormal constriction and are currently seeking funding to test these drugs in clinical trials.

In the past, the use of enzymes to break down amyloid β in Alzheimer’s disease has been prevented by the difficulty of effectively and selectively delivering the treatment into the brain.

We have been working with Professor Steve Gill, Head of the Functional Neurosurgery Research Group in Bristol, to explore the possibility of a novel technique called convection-enhanced delivery (CED) to deliver this treatment. CED relies on relies the use of ultrafine infusion catheters to deliver chemicals along a pressure gradient rather than a concentration gradient, and enables a high concentration of the infused chemical to be delivered uniformly through a large volume of brain tissue.

The technique has been successfully used to treat severe Parkinson’s disease by infusion of a chemical known as GDNF. Initial studies involving CED of an enzyme that breaks down amyloid β have been very promising and over the next few years we are hoping to obtain enough preclinical data to justify trialling this approach in patients with AD.

Other encouraging new areas of research in Alzheimer’s disease include therapies directed at removal of the neurofibrillary tangles that form in nerve cells, the use of insulin administered into the nose (to improve the utilisation of glucose and correct other metabolic abnormalities in the brain), and the use of drugs other than enzymes to increase the breakdown of amyloid β.

Q: Are treatments currently under investigation/trial

only for Alzheimer’s disease, or is there anything that might help with other forms of dementia?

A: Very little research is being undertaken into the prevention

of dementia in patients with Lewy body disease but recent years have seen rapid progress in our understanding of some of the molecular abnormalities that as responsible for this group of conditions and the testing of experimental therapies in models of this disease. It is likely that some of these will be translated into treatments that can be trialled in human patients but it will probably take several years to reach that stage and it is too early to say whether they will be effective in preventing the development of dementia. In Bristol, a trial of GDNF infusion (by CED) for severe Parkinson's disease will commence in the next few months. The trial will be led by Dr Alan Whone and Professor Steve Gill.

We are also hoping soon to measure the extent of blood flow abnormalities in Parkinson's disease, their contribution to the development of dementia and the reasons why blood flow through parts of the brain is reduced in many patients.

Treatment of vascular dementia is largely directed at dealing with the underlying disease such as hypertension, elevated cholesterol and diabetes, and in preventing blockage of small blood vessels by reducing the stickiness of platelets. There are studies in progress of drugs that cause the relaxation of muscle cells in the walls of blood vessels (e.g. nicardipine); some of these studies have yielded encouraging results.

Rapid advances are being made into our understanding of the biological basis of some of the rarer types of dementia that predominantly affect the frontal and temporal lobes in the brain. These advances in understanding will certainly lead to the development and testing of novel treatment strategies for these particular diseases within the next few years.

Q: Some foods are thought to be beneficial for the brain.

What is the latest advice?

A: A balanced diet, avoiding excessive intake of 'unhealthy' fats (e.g.

associated with butter, palm oil, whole milk, red meat) and including oily fish and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (e.g. in olive oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil) is good not only for your heart and blood vessels but also your brain.

Although there is considerable evidence that people who have a so-called Mediterranean diet are at reduced risk of developing dementia, it remains unclear precisely what elements of the diet are critical in this respect, and whether other aspects of lifestyle associated with this diet may also play a part. There is some evidence from the US that a 'medical food' called caprylidene may be of benefit in Alzheimer's disease but this needs to be confirmed.

Q: Is it true that, in later life, learning a language

or doing crosswords can help protect the brain from cognitive decline?

A: There is good evidence that people who have spent longer in education

are at lower risk of developing dementia, and some evidence that regular physical and mental activity may be protective.

At present we do not know for certain whether such activities slow the progression of disease in patients who already have AD but common sense would suggest that regular physical and mental activity is likely to improve the quality of life and the morale of patients with early disease.

Our research is directed at improving blood flow through the brain in dementia…We have identified several, already-licensed drugs with the potential to reverse the abnormal constriction and are currently seeking funding to test these drugs in clinical trials.

there is considerable evidence that people who have a so-called Mediterranean diet are at reduced risk of developing dementia

Rapid advances are being made into our understanding of the biological basis of some of the rarer types of dementia

Seth Love is Professor of

Neuropathology at Bristol

University and scientific

adviser to BRACE. Here he

answers some of the questions

you have been asking us. Research news and views

10 | BRACE www.alzheimers-brace.org call the BRACE appeal office on 0117 340 4831 Spring 2012 | 11

Q: Progress is being made towards earlier and more

accurate diagnosis. Will this enable clinicians to do more to help people with dementia?

A: It seems likely that the earlier we can intervene (e.g. to reduce

accumulation of amyloid β or improved blood flow through the brain) the greater the chance of benefit.

New imaging studies indicate that people start to accumulate amyloid β many years, even decades, before they develop dementia. This is thought to initiate a cascade of secondary changes that damage nerve cells and eventually cause clinical disease.

Part of the problem with therapies designed to prevent dementia by interfering with the initial stages in this cascade is that we may be too late in applying them. Many investigators believe that disease-modifying therapies are much more likely to be effective if they are started before symptoms develop.

Early, accurate diagnosis also helps patients and carers to develop more effective coping strategies and gives patients, in particular, more control over the planning of their lives.

Q: Different figures are quoted publicly for the incidence of

dementia. What is the risk level for different age groups, and does this include people who are developing the disease but are not yet showing symptoms?

A: In answering this, I would emphasise that figures are sometimes given for

the incidence of dementia and sometimes for its prevalence. It is important to be clear exactly what is meant by incidence and prevalence.

The term incidence describes the number of people who are diagnosed for the first time each year. According to a recent US study and combined data from several European studies, the incidence of dementia rises from under 0.5% per year for people in their 60s, to 1-2% of those in their 70s, over 4% of those in their 80s, and over 8% of those in their 90s.

The term prevalence covers all people who have the disease, whether they have been diagnosed only in the past year or have had the disease for several years. The prevalence of dementia rises from about 0.5-1.5% of people in their 60s, to 4-5% of people in their 70s, 12-20% of those in their 80s and 25-30% of those in their 90s.

These figures relate to people who have actually developed dementia, not those who will in time develop the disease but are not yet showing symptoms.

Many investigators believe that disease-modifying therapies are much more likely to be effective if they are started before symptoms develop.

BRACE proudly presents

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER!starring

The Opera Dudes Sophistication Style and Swing!

with The Jimmy The Lip Allstar Band

SUNDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2012 6.30pm Sparkling Reception

7.30pm Show

Tobacco Factory Theatre, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol BS3 1TF

Free parking at Aldi from 6.00pmDress: smart and sparkling!

TICKETS £25 available from

Before 1st July 2012 BRACE Appeal Office Tel 0117 340 4831

From 1st July 2012 Tobacco Factory Theatre Box Office

Tel 0117 902 0344 www.tobaccofactory.com

Anniversary Coffee morning THURSDAY 24TH MAY 201210am - 12 noon11.00 am ‘Tobacco to Strawberries’A short talk on the history of the Wills Family and St Monica Trust by Shelley Bailey, Operations Manager, St Monica Trust

Tombola,Home-made Cakes,Books, Plants, Cards,Fabric & Haberdashery

Main Hall, St Monica’s,Westbury Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 3TN

TICKETS £5.00 Please apply to the BRACE Appeal Office for tickets.Postal applications should be marked ‘Coffee Morning’.An SAE (11cm x 22cm) would be appreciated.

25tH AnnivERSARy EvEntS Volunteers have organised some special events to mark our anniversary. A list of all events (as known at time of publication) can be found on page 2, and a full list is kept updated on our website. These include regular favourites such as the Golf Day and Autumn Fair.

One of the special anniversary events will happen as we go to print. This is the Three Men’s Company concert on 24 March. The celebratory events still to come are the Anniversary Coffee Morning on 24 May and ‘A Night to Remember!’ on 23 September. Details of both events are given on this page.

12 | BRACE www.alzheimers-brace.org call the BRACE appeal office on 0117 340 4831 Spring 2012 | 13

The Lord Mayor of Bristol is one of BRACE’s patrons in an ex-officio capacity and since BRACE started up nearly 25 years ago the many Lord Mayors have been great, and much appreciated, supporters of our charity. None more so than the current Lord Mayor, Geoff Gollop and his wife Bernice, The Lady Mayoress. The Lord Major said "Both my parents suffered from Alzheimer’s so I know, first hand, how it affects both the sufferers and the family. I am therefore pleased to support BRACE and all it is doing to fund research into this disease."

During their term in office, which ends in May this year, both Geoff and Bernice have attended a number of our events. Notably our annual Carol Service at St Mary Redcliffe Church and Linda Alvis’s annual Christmas Bazaar which was opened by the Lord Mayor.

Linda has been a supporter of BRACE for a number of years and, since BRACE have been involved with her Christmas bazaar, has helped us raise over £2500. Linda said, “it was a great honour to have the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress open the event and it was nice that they were able to stay and meet a lot of the helpers and supporters.”

A number of Linda’s helpers, together with a representative from BRACE, Lynda Checkley, were also invited to the Mansion House for afternoon tea with the Lady Mayoress which the Lord Mayor also attended. It was a wonderful, informal afternoon and our thanks to the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress for their hospitality.

We look forward to a long relationship with future Lord Mayors and thank Geoff and Bernice for all their support during their term in office.

Please find enclosed a donation of £____ to BRACE. Thank you for your donation. If you are a UK taxpayer

please complete the Gift Aid Declaration and BRACE can recover the tax at no extra cost to you.

Please contact me: i’d like to know more about: “Adopting” BRACE at work/school/other Volunteering to help with collections or events Taking part in a sponsored event

Please add me to your newsletter mailing list

FULL NAME

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If you would like us to contact you, please supply:

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BRACE Annual Meeting 2012MONDAY 14TH MAY 2012

Doors open 7pm, main meeting starts at 7.30pm

The Grange Hotel (Mercure Bristol North, formerly the Ramada Bristol North), Old Gloucester Road, Northwoods,

near Winterbourne.

This is close to Bradley Stoke and has ample free car parking. The hotel is a 19th century manor house set in landscaped gardens in countryside

just outside the Bristol urban area. Directions are available from the hotel website

or the BRACE Appeal Office.

This is not an AGM, but a presentation of the charity’s work, and all our supporters

are welcome. Please let us know in advance if you would like to attend, to help us

with our planning.

Bristol has had a mayor since 1216 but it was only in 1899 that Queen Victoria granted a Lord Mayoralty to Bristol. There are only 23 Lord Mayors in England at the present time and of these only London, Bristol and York are styled ‘The Right Honourable’.

Autumn Fair 2012Newman Hall, Grange Court Road,

Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol.

SATURDAY 6TH OCTOBER 2012 from 10am to 12.30pm.

Always a cheerful and well-attended event, with a wide range of stalls and refreshments.

We are pleased to announce that

Stephanie Cole is to be our special guest at this year’s fair.

Stephanie, a patron and strong supporter of BRACE, is a well-known stage and television actress. She is currently appearing in Coronation Street but is also familiar to many for her roles in programmes such as Doc Martin and Tenko.

Lord Mayors helping BRaCEBRACE donation and contact formReturn to BRACE Appeal Office, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol BS16 1LE You can donate by credit or debit card online – www.alzheimers-brace.org

Gift Aid declaration – for past, present and future donations to BRACE Please treat as Gift Aid donations all qualifying gifts of money made today in the past 4 years in the future. Please tick all boxes you wish to apply.

I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that charities will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give. SIGNATURE DATE

Please notify BRACE if you: • Want to cancel this declaration • Change your name or home address • No longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains.

If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self Assessment tax return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.

We will keep a record of your donation/enquiry but will not contact you unless you have agreed that we can.

Please tick this box if you would like to receive a written acknowledgement:

14 | BRACE www.alzheimers-brace.org call the BRACE appeal office on 0117 340 4831 Spring 2012 | 15

Last autumn we announced that we were launching our “Silver Service” campaign. This is a special 25th anniversary fundraising drive aimed at raising the symbolic sum of £25,000.

In brief, it is an invitation to groups and organisations of all sorts to adopt a fundraising target of £500 between now and the end of 2012. The list of those who have already signed up shows the wide range of those who could help. Businesses, schools, churches, social clubs, sports clubs…

One of the supporting businesses is Avanti Cleaning Solutions, a family business in Bristol that sells janitorial products. Its Sales & Marketing Coordinator, Rachel Connor, says, “We are extremely proud to be supporting BRACE in their Silver Service campaign. We supply a number of care and nursing homes which provide care for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease so it is a subject that is important to us.”

The first fundraising event of the year was organised by Tom Lakos of ProTom Fitness – see News in Brief on page 7 for the full story.

A week later, Paul Dickinson of Dickinson Business Finance started his fundraising by taking part in the Weston Tough Ten, a sponsored ten mile run in February.

Other participants in the campaign include churches in Clevedon and South Gloucestershire, a firm of solicitors, a chain of insurance brokers and GWS Media, the company that designs the BRACE website.

Yate photographer Matt Harris (Olympia Photography) is raising funds as part of our Silver Service campaign.

He is offering to take family photos on 12th & 13th May and donate the money to BRACE. There are sessions for up to 10 families (3 or more people) at £50 pounds a time. A free 12x8 photo is included.

You can contact Matt on 07557 411681 or via his web site www.olympiaphotography.co.uk

Photo fundraiser

BRACE is a member of BNI Bristol Grace, a group of businesses which has given us great help starting the Silver Service. From left: Richard Manning (Be Streets Ahead estate agents, visiting), Mark Poarch (BRACE), David Jones (Mark Richard Insurance Brokers), Paul Dickinson (Dickinson Business Finance), Rachel Connor (Avanti) and Nick Crocker (The Carpet Cleaner, Chapter Director). Photograph © Marko Dutka.

Silver Service campaign – a great start

Paul Dickinson after completing his run

There isn’t room for the growing list of supporters here, but you can find them on a special tab on our Facebook page. We shall include news and photos of some fundraising events in the next newsletter.

Annual BRACE Golf Day 2012

Stableford Bowmaker competition for teams of four

22 MAY 2012Henbury Golf Club, Bristol

Entry £200 per team, including green fees and evening meal

Contact the BRACE Appeal Office on 0117 340 4831 for

more information

16 | BRACE www.alzheimers-brace.org