THE team from the Rotary Club of Farnham were in the final three in the category for ‘Bringing People Together’ at the Alzheimer’s Society People Awards 2016.

Representatives of the group Janet Maines, Colin Christmas, Garth Hutton and Keith Mentzel were invited to attend the awards ceremony at St James’s Palace earlier this month. The event was hosted by Richard Madeley while Princess Alexandra presented the awards.

The Rotary Club of Farnham, alongside other donors, enabled the establishment of the facility in the Garden Room of Cobgates seven years ago at which those with dementia and their carers are welcome to drop in for coffee on a Monday morning.

Dementia navigator Mary Jordan is present to provide information and advice, and the volunteers from the Rotary Club provide company and companionship to the visitors.

Mary Jordan of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “I really appreciate the help that The Rotary Club have given over the past seven years. It has made all the difference to the service we have been able to offer to people with dementia and their carers and families.”

Janet Maines said: “The Alzheimer’s Society was one of my charities when I was president of the Rotary club and we responded to a wish of Mary’s to upgrade the garden room at Cobgates for use as the drop-in. I am so pleased that the service that the Rotary club helps to provide continues and has been recognised by the society.”

The future of the service is under the shadow of the closure of Cobgates. However both the Alzheimer’s Society and the Rotary Club of Farnham are committed to continuing to provide this facility to the community in Farnham if at all possible.