The Doncaster woman who raised over £30,000 unite the dementia community

Since its establishment in 2013, Donmentia has raised over £30,000 and created a community for all who suffer from dementia around Doncaster.

Eileen Harrington, the charity's founder, created DonMentia to fill the hole left by decreasing NHS dementia specialists, and directly represent Doncaster’s dementia sufferers.

Mrs Harrington said: “The specialised staff who left weren’t being replaced so there was far more work being done by much less people.

“Dementia is now swallowed up into the general ageing well of campaigns for the local authority, and it’s not being focused on on its own.

When the topic lost its priority in the council over the years, the retired teacher hosted a range of events to fundraise, the next one being a craft fair on 31 October.

She said: “People who have unusual or quirky crafts will pay me to have a store and I use that money towards creating events.

“For example, I create day trips for people with dementia and their carers. Over the summer I took 70 people to Cleethorpes by train.

“The trip was so popular, I had to do two rounds. The day trips include a nice meal at a restaurant and all their transport fees, but I won’t pay for their cheeky ice creams.”

Despite some income from these events, Mrs Harrington often uses her own money to help those suffering, this was particularly the case over Lockdown.

She said: “During lockdown I delivered monthly themed goodie bags to around 70 people with volunteers. I gave sweet bags, savory bags, Christmas bags and more.

“I would knock on their doors then place the goodie bag on the ground. Before they were able to open the door, I would rush to the opposite side of the road and chat with them from a distance.

“I’m technically at the age where I was supposed to be staying indoors myself, so I felt a bit like the Wicked Witch of the West,” she laughed.

Mrs Harrington retirement was preempted due to having to care for her husband, Donald (Don), who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 1999.

Due to Don’s difficult and demanding nature during his adversity with the disease, behaviour which will be recognisable to many carers of people with Dementia, he was sectioned to Tickhill Road Hospital.

He received excellent care at Flower Park Nursing Home in Denaby, where he remained until he died in April 2008.

In addition, Mrs Harrington Chairs the Doncaster Dementia Forum, which has been running for over five years.

The monthly Forums capture the voice, opinions and ideas of people with dementia and their carers.

These are taken to the Doncaster Dementia Strategic Partnership to ensure they are considered by Commissioners working on their behalf in Doncaster.