Somerset writer Angie Cox has raised over £5,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK in just three months through sales of her fundraising book, Forget-Me-Not, with a further boost expected in the run-up to Christmas.
Published on 7September, Forget-Me-Not is a collection of stories, poems and illustrations collated by Angie, including contributions by a number of well-known celebrities, including Sir Cliff Richard, Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis, Deborah Meaden from BBC’s Dragons’ Den and fashion designer Alice Temperley. It has already sold over 500 copies in Somerset alone, with online orders across the globe, from Denmark to Australia.
With all publishing costs covered by early sales of the book, it is remarkable that Angie has been able to raise over £5,000 for the charity in such a short time. She has received positive feedback from many who have purchased Forget-Me-Not, with one reviewer on online retail site Amazon writing, “I thought this book was an excellent idea and a brilliant read. What a wonderful way to celebrate a loved one’s life. I would recommend this book to everyone, and most certainly anyone who knows someone with this cruel disease.”
Angie says, “I’m thrilled that we have already been able to send so much money to Alzheimer’s Research UK. Promoting the book has helped to raise awareness of this worthwhile cause and led to further involvement locally. We have been delighted to support the Memory Café that has opened in Langport, plus I attended the Registered Care Providers Association seminar in Taunton and have also been contacted by Musgrove Park Hospital regarding their new Dementia team and designated ward for Dementia patients. It proves that even those of us who think we are ‘ordinary’ can achieve extraordinary things!”
Marie Janson, Director of Development for Alzheimer’s Research UK, says, “This is a fantastic result and we can’t thank Angie enough for compiling this brilliant book to raise money for our pioneering dementia research. The £5,000 raised so far is enough to fund 250 hours of world-class research and vital equipment for our scientists. This amazing contribution is bringing us closer to finding ways to diagnose, prevent, treat and cure dementia.
“There are 820,000 people across the UK living with dementia today, including over 7,500 people in Somerset alone. Dementia poses one of the greatest threats to public health now and in the future but funding for research still lags far behind other serious diseases. We rely entirely on our wonderful supporters like Angie to fund our crucial research.”
The Forget-Me-Not book makes an ideal Christmas gift and there are still plenty of copies left, so if you’re looking for a charming Christmas present that gives something back to a worthwhile cause, look no further.
Angie was inspired to write the Forget-Me-Not book following her own family’s experience of dementia. Her mother-in-law Nina was a vibrant, community-focused lady who passed away in February after a six year battle with Alzheimer’s that left her unable to communicate. The book is testament to Angie’s determination to channel her frustrations into something positive and she aims to raise over £15,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Published by Berkshire Academic Press and priced £14.99, the Forget-Me-Not book of memories is available from selected bookshops across Somerset including the Yeovil and Taunton branches of Waterstones, or can be ordered online via Amazon or the official website www.forget-me-not-book.co.uk.
Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading charity specialising in finding preventions, treatments and a cure for dementia.
Alzheimer’s Research UK is currently supporting dementia research projects worth over £20million in leading Universities across the UK, including over £600,000 in the South West.
There are 820,000 people across the UK living with dementia today, with numbers forecast to rise substantially in the next generation.