ABOUT US

The Acorn Committee germinated from an idea by Louise Hanen. Louise's father, Luc developed early onset dementia in his early 50s and there was very little support available for Louise and her family through the NHS. Louise decided that she wanted to change that and help other families care for people with dementia - a disease which is becoming increasingly common. At the same time, Maria Dawson, a friend of Louise's, contracted scleroderma disease - a potentially terminal disease which attacks the immune system in women. Maria was treated at Leeds General Infirmary's Rheumatology department and is still regularly treated there as there is no cure. As a result of these two circumstances, the Acorn Committee was born and since that time through all sorts of fundraising events - golf and tennis tournaments, balls, bike rides, a 42 mile walk, half marathons, Christmas and Easter fairs, coffee mornings and all sorts of other things - we have now raised over £500,000 - largely from people in the Harrogate and Ilkley area.

Acorn has provided funding for equipment and a research fellow at Leeds General Infirmary Rheumatology Department under Professor Emery, kick-started a service for people with early onset (working age) dementia in Harrogate, raised funds for a befriending service for carers and sufferers of Alzheimer's in the Harrogate and Ripon area, organised and funded luncheon clubs and events for the Alzheimer's Society and much, much more.