A former carer has donated £600 to the Admiral Nurse appeal - and aims to raise thousands more by sailing in memory of her mother.
Julia Creeke (pictured) donated the money from the Eleanor Creeke Charitable Settlement, ahead of the Eddystone Charity Sailing Pursuit in June.
The event is organised by the trust to help charities that benefit the human condition.
A keen sailor from an early age, Julia estimates that she has sailed half-a-million miles in her lifetime. The Peak Hill resident cared for her mother, Eleanor, who lived with Alzhiemer’s for six years until her death in December 1995.
Julia said: “I feel terribly strong about the illness. I tried to get an Admiral Nurse here four years ago.”
The 75-year-old described the Admiral Nurse as the Macmillan nurses of dementia and says she would have benefited from their support.
Julia said: “It would have been huge; it would have been someone to ring up and talk to.
“It’s terrible when you have this person that you know and love so well and it’s not the same person - it’s a shell.
“They look all right, but that’s as far as it goes. My mother was relatively easy to look after because she never got vicious or cross or anything like that. She was totally lost in the world.”
The sailing pursuit is a 26-mile course from Plymouth Sound, with participants competing for individual, team, club and business prizes, as well as raising money for charity.
The 75-year-old is currently recovering from a knee operation and said that she would be fit to sail her yacht, The Dutchman, in the June 18 event.
Adrian Ford, trustee of the memory café, said: “I think that Julia’s support for our Admiral Nurse Campaign is quite amazing.
“I am sure that the community will get behind her in raising money for this worthwhile cause.”
To find out more about sponsoring Julia and her boat, contact Adrian Ford on 01395 578248.
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