Husband raises £3,000 for Hemsworth dementia unit through dance variety show in loving memory of his wife

Peter Foster organised the dance event with his family and friends, in loving memory of his wife Julie.

The fundraising event has raised more than £3,000 for The Poplars in Hemsworth which specialises in providing care for people with dementia.

Julie was nursed by the incredible team at The Poplars, part of South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

After a diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s, Julie spent time at The Poplars where she received end of life care before she sadly passed away in December last year.

Julie had a passion for dance and theatre and ran her own dance studio where she would teach children and encourage them to follow their dreams.

Encompassing Julie’s passion for dance, Peter with the support of close ones, arranged a dance variety show at the Dearne Valley Theatre on June 30 2023, in which they raised £3,010.

The Trust charity, EyUp! received the generous donation on behalf of the team at The Poplars. The fundraising will be used to replace a specialist chair that Julie had found beneficial and comfortable during her stay.

Talking about the care Julie received from The Poplars, Peter said: "Running a dance variety show was a truly fitting way to remember Julie, thank you so much to everybody who helped to organise the show, and came along to watch.

"I wanted to give something back to the wonderful team of staff at The Poplars, the work they do should be a blueprint for care.”

Kirsty Brooke, ward manager at The Poplars said: ‘Thank you to Peter and Julie’s family and friends for such a generous donation. In memory of Julie, we can buy a new specialist chair which will be a huge benefit to the patients on our ward.”

According to the NHS, there are more than 944,000 people in the UK who have dementia. 1 in 11 people over the age of 65 have dementia in the UK.

The number of people with dementia is increasing because people are living longer. It is estimated that by 2030, the number of people with dementia in the UK will be more than 1 million.