At Bridge Health & Wellbeing, we are pleased to announce that we will be supporting Parkinson’s UK in Christchurch as our charity for 2022.

According to the Parkinson’s UK website, Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world. It is a progressive neurological condition, causing problems in the brain that get worse over time. Parkinson’s can be a distressing condition, so help for those affected by Parkinson’s, their partners and their carers is vital.

Around 145,000 people live with Parkinson’s in the UK.

It can lead to a lot of can’ts. But with the right support, those affected can get a little bit of their everyday back. The Christchurch Parkinson’s Branch has existed for over 40 years. It offers friendship and support to local people with Parkinson’s, their families and their carers. Local fundraising has been limited since the pandemic. The group has come to depend on the generosity of friends and family of members to support them. Hopefully, in 2022, the easing of restrictions may allow a return to some pre-pandemic activities, such as outings, a summer party, theatre trips etc, if enough funds can be raised.

Here at the clinic, we have had some personal links to Parkinson’s over the last 12 months. We felt that it would be great to support our local branch, raise awareness of Parkinson’s and some much-needed funds. We hope to hold some special wellbeing events in 2022 (Covid permitting) to support the charity, as well as have a collection tin in reception from the new year. Any donation is welcome, and we thank you for your support.

For information and advice on Parkinson’s or for emotional support, call the Parkinson’s UK helpline on 0808 800 0303. You can also contact Parkinson’s UK in Christchurch directly by calling Josie Taylor on 0344 225 3744 or emailing jltaylor@parkinsons.org.uk.