Festival Chosen Charities for 2014

Written by Lois Downes

Bridgnorth Music and Arts Festival is a non-profit organisation, run by volunteers which raises money for charity and each year we choose one local and one national charity to support.

Spokesperson Lois Downes said, “We are delighted to announce that the elected beneficiaries of 2014’s Bridgnorth Music and Arts Festival fundraising efforts shall be, Severn Hospice and the national charitable organisation Alzheimer’s Research UK.”
So who is our local chosen beneficiary Severn Hospice and what is it that they do?
Providing excellent quality, evidence based clinical care to individuals living with complex and progressive illness, Severn Hospice is a charitable organisation completely independent from the NHS. Whereby two-thirds of their annual revenue is sourced from public fundraising. Severn Hospice’s medical services are provided to its service users free of charge and this only made possible by raising sufficient income from charitable and non-charitable sources.
Severn Hospice’s mission is to maintain their patient’s quality of life by means of specialist medical care unique to each patient’s treatment requirements ensuring that essential relief from pain and other symptoms associated with complex and progressive diseases are provided. Furthermore, the care and support provided by the medical professionals at Severn Hospice doesn’t stop at its patients, the hospice also bestows families, friends and carers with pivotal support, counselling and assistance.

Severn Hospice
To find out more about Severn Hospice and the service they provide visit: www.severnhospice.org.uk.

Who are 2014’s national beneficiaries Alzheimer’s Research UK and what do they do?
The United Kingdoms leading dementia research specialists at Alzheimer’s Research UK, fund more dementia research in the UK than any other charity. Alzheimer’s Research UK is a charitable organisation that has worked incredibly hard to forge partnerships with the UK Government and medical organisations as to ensure that dementia research is that of national priority. In addition the charity also fund and invest in the UK’s leading dementia scientists throughout their exploration of the syndrome, bringing forth preventive clinical solutions and treatments. The dementia research specialists at Alzheimer’s Research UK believe that science holds the key to defeating dementia and thus invest their efforts into clinical science, in hope that a cure can be discovered.
To date the work of those at and with Alzheimer’s Research UK has been and still is of crucial importance, as findings have contributed to clinical improvements and moreover the enhancement of life for individuals affected by dementia.
Alzheimer’s Research
Although there are numerous possible causalities for the onset of dementia the most common cause is that of Alzheimer’s disease, accounting for two thirds of dementia cases in the elderly. Alzheimer’s disease affects approximately 496,000 people in the UK. Dementia is a progressive syndrome and is associated with the on going decline of the brain and its ability to function due to certain brain diseases and conditions.
Approximately 800,000 people within the UK are affected by dementia and we are seeing an increase in this number with 1 person being diagnosed with the syndrome every 3.2 minutes. That’s 163,000 new cases of dementia occurring in England and Wales each year. Your risk of developing dementia increases with age, typically the condition occurs in people over the age of 65.

To find out more about Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Research UK visit: http://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org

Collections for both charities shall be taking place throughout the 10-day festival period. The Bridgnorth Music and Arts Festival shall be holding a licensed street collection on the High Street for Alzheimer’s Research UK on Sunday 25th August. Moreover the licenced collection for Severn Hospice shall be held at the Castle Grounds on Saturday 31st August.
Licenced collection for both charities shall be available at all other festival events such as the Animation Festival and comedy evening. Please be aware that all venues involved within the festival shall have obtained collection buckets for their preferred charity from the Bridgnorth Music and Arts Festival committee.

Festival Chosen Charities for 2013

For 2013 the Bridgnorth Music and Arts Festival’s chosen national charity was The Multiple Sclerosis Society. Being the largest UK charity devoted to supporting both individuals with MS and their families. The Multiple Sclerosis Society provides specialist information and funding for crucial MS research projects. Deemed one of the most common disabling neurological diseases affecting the central nervous system, Multiple Sclerosis affects over 100,000 people within the UK today, with an estimated 500 suffers residing in Shropshire.

The Bridgnorth Lions Club and their PSA Testing campaign for Prostate Cancer detection was our chosen local charity. The Bridgnorth Lions Club established the prostate cancer PSA Testing campaign in 2009. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men within the UK; with over 40,000 men diagnosed every year and currently over 250,000 men living with the disease. The majority of prostate cancer cases are found to be within men over the age of 50 with the risk of development increasing with age. The average age of prostate cancer diagnosis is between 70 and 74 years. Males under the age of 50 are at significantly low risk of development. However although rare, younger men can still develop prostate cancer.

Festival Chosen Charities for 2012

For 2012 we supported local charity Cameron’s Fund and the national Mental Health Foundation.