An award-winning sports and leisure operator, Everyone Active, has surpassed its £100,000 fundraising goal for dementia specialist nurse charity, Dementia UK. The partnership has helped raise awareness of dementia and delivered more than £125,000 to support families living with the condition.

Everyone Active raised money for the charity to help cover essential operations, including the basic costs equivalent to 17,500 people contacting its national Helpline so that they can benefit from life-changing advice and support. The funds were raised through a wide range of creative challenges and endurance events undertaken by Everyone Active’s workforce. Additional, hundreds of fundraising events were held across Everyone Active’s more than 230 leisure centres.

This partnership has helped raise awareness of the positive impact that being active can have on individuals and families affected by dementia, with research showing that physical activity may improve cognition and mental health, and could also help to reduce the risk of developing the condition.

The fundraising target was reached within the two-year charity partnership of Dementia UK - the only charity that provides specialist dementia nurse support through its Admiral Nurses. Admiral Nurses provide life-changing support and guidance for families affected by all forms of dementia in communities, hospitals and hospices, on its free national Helpline, and in clinics.

Everyone Active’s Managing Director, David Bibby, said: “We are delighted to have made a significant difference for our charity partner, Dementia UK. We’ve delivered more than £120,000 in fundraising, with two months still to go in the partnership, and we’ve also helped to drive awareness of the condition and also educate people on the role that physical activity can play to help people living with dementia.

“With over 200 leisure and cultural facilities across the UK, we are proud to have seen our 14,000-strong workforce drive the partnership through fundraising events and by engaging our customers. We hope the funds will help families and carers who dedicate a phenomenal amount to support those close to them.”

Dementia is a huge and growing health crisis. Every three minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed and currently, over 900,000 people live with the diagnosis in the UK, with this number expected to rise to one million by 2025.

Dr Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse and CEO of Dementia UK, said: “We are hugely grateful to Everyone Active for the support and enthusiasm they have shown over the course of our successful partnership, which has helped raise vital funds and awareness for specialist dementia care.

“In addition to exceeding its financial target, we’ve been impressed by the way Everyone Active staff have rallied to arrange fundraising events and challenges across the country. The partnership has helped support dementia specialist Admiral Nurses on our Helpline and in clinics around the UK, and has also helped people living with dementia access tailored groups and services designed to support physical and mental wellbeing through Everyone Active’s facilities and network.

“The number of people living with the condition in the UK is set to exceed one million in the next year, but thanks to partners like Everyone Active we have been able to deliver specialist support and advice to more people and families than ever.”

To find out more information on the partnership, visit the Everyone Active website.