The Admiral Nurse Campaign has recieved £1,083 from a special birthday tea organised by a man who played a key role in founding the charity behind the appeal.

Derek Eagles asked for donations rather than presents when he turned 80 earlier this month in support of the ‘fantastic’ cause. The Church Street resident was instrumental in starting up the Sid Valley Memory Café.

The charity, in partnership with the Herald, has raised more than £90,000 of its £100,000 target to fund a dementia specialist nurse in the area for two years.

Derek celebrated in style with a ‘top of the range’ tea for more than 90 people at Kennaway House and said the donations idea was inspired by his late friend Kingsley Squire. He added: “Kingsley thought of the idea of no presents. He was a very big supporter of the memory café. It [the total] is getting there, it’s fantastic.”

Before the charity started in 2010, Derek teamed up with a fellow Rotarian from Cornwall to work on a project called Rotarians Easing Problems of Dementia (REPOD).

He said: “Together, we had this plan to get an Admiral Nurse in this part of the world. Sidmouth, and the Sid Valley, in particular, has one of the largest numbers of people affected by dementia.”

Derek added the charity will have to continue raising £50,000 a year once the nurse is in place.