Our supporters never cease to amaze us.
Every year, thousands of you help us move closer to bringing about life-changing treatments for dementia.
From skydives to bake sales, campaigning to community fundraising, you support us in the way that suits you best. To celebrate the variety of ways our supporters get involved, we’ve created nine different award categories. We hope you enjoy meeting our nominees and winners.
Feeling inspired? Here’s how to get involved.
And to all our supporters: thank you.
Categories, nominees and winners
Changing perceptions
An individual or a group who have challenged misconceptions around dementia and the diseases that cause it. Many of these incredible individuals and groups have witnessed the impact of dementia themselves or may be living with it and are passionate about tackling stigmas around dementia and increasing awareness of the condition and the diseases that cause it.
Jenny is an incredible ambassador for the charity and as a scientist, she knows that only high quality research will allow us to find effective treatments for dementia.
Her husband Dick has Alzheimer’s disease, and the couple featured in a film for the Connections series, highlighting the impact Dick’s condition has had on their relationship.
Jenny has been a passionate Media & Communications Volunteer since 2019, keen to raise awareness. She also raised nearly £15,000 during lockdown!
She also launched a pilot community project across East Sussex called Hearts & Minds. The workshops aim to challenge misconceptions, educate on brain and heart health, and deliver CPR training.
Jenny leads these sessions while juggling her caring responsibilities for Dick – a real testament to her dedication.
In memory of Dick Bell, 1942 - 2022
Corporate campaign of the year
This category recognises our brilliant corporate partners who have helped to increase awareness or fundraised for the work of Alzheimer’s Research UK. Their drive and enthusiasm for supporting dementia research enables our scientists to move a step closer to making breakthroughs in their work.
The Perfume Shop has supported Alzheimer’s Research UK since 2014 and is a valued member of our Pioneers’ Circle. Having raised £800,000 to date, it aims to hit £1 million by the end of 2022.
Covid hit hard, with most stores closed for much of 2022 and the first part of 2021. But the innovative organisation did not let this dampen fundraising activity, switching its flagship Driving Down Dementia campaign to fit covid restrictions and raising a staggering £90,792 in one month during World Alzheimer’s Month.
Through store pledges, cycling challenges, sales of personalised ribbons and more, it went on to raise £125,000 during 2021 despite store closures. Amazing.
Fundraise your way
We encourage our supporters to fundraise their way and this award celebrates how our fundraisers are doing just that. They put their stamp and personality on their fundraising in so many ways – from endurance challenges to motorbike rides across America to covering huge distances on foot.
Heidi may be one of our youngest fundraisers, but she made a huge impact with her epic walking challenge.
The seven-year-old wanted to do something to help her great uncle Ian who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2020, so she took on the challenge to walk the equivalent distance between Land’s End and John O’Groats.
She started in March 2021 and reached her 603-mile target in June this year, raising over £16,500.
With help from her parents, she also built up a big following on social media as they charted her adventures and spread lots of fun and joy.
Group of the year
With so many incredible groups tirelessly volunteering and fundraising for us it is clear our amazing supporters enjoy coming together with a common goal: to support the work of Alzheimer’s Research UK. This award looks to celebrate some of our incredible groups of supporters.
LSU Rag have supported Alzheimer’s Research UK during the 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic years, raising £57,000 (and counting!) during this time.
Loughborough students have supported the charity through challenges, including ‘Dash to Dubrovnik’ and the ‘Iceland Fire and Ice Trek’. Fundraisers have worked tirelessly, from completing virtual marathons, to only eating orange food for a week, and collecting at this year’s FA Cup Final at Wembley Arena!
As one of the UK’s biggest RAGs, working with Loughborough has given Alzheimer’s Research UK a huge step up into the world of student fundraising, helping us win more university partnerships and grow student support across the UK.
Researcher of the year
An individual researcher or team of researchers who have made significant contributions to dementia research and the work of Alzheimer’s Research UK. This may be in their day-to-day work, stepping out of their lab or office to share why dementia research is so important, or even taking on an incredible fundraising challenge to bring us a step closer to a much-needed breakthrough.
The ECR Reps for the Scotland Network are incredible ambassadors and supporters of Alzheimer’s Research UK. In 2021, they organised the #RunTheNetwork challenge which saw them raise £3,518 and surpass the 500-mile target. In 2022, the team of researchers took on their #RunTheBrain challenge raising another £1,572 and travelling 668 miles along the length of the brain capillaries!
The team are committed to raising vital awareness of vascular health in dementia and the array of incredible work being done in the field of dementia research. They not only support our fundraising, but engage online, from sharing photos to filming videos about their research!
Sporting supporter of the year
This award recognises our supporters who have taken on feats of endurance while raising incredible amounts of money for dementia research. From virtual challenges to major marathons these sporting heroes have pushed themselves to cross the finish line and smash their own targets, inspiring others along the way.
Stuart is a stalwart member of the #TeamARUK community and a passionate advocate for Alzheimer’s Research UK’s partnership with parkrun.
Having got into running through parkrun, he began supporting us by taking part in Running Down Dementia. He has since raised thousands of pounds in honour of his dad, Ian, who died with Alzheimer’s disease in 2020. He ran the 2021 London Marathon and this year’s Edinburgh Marathon and will be running London again in October.
Stuart is a shining light of positivity across the #TeamARUK Facebook groups, encouraging and supporting his fellow runners.
He volunteers as a community speaker and helps the Shropshire fundraising group. He also raises awareness as a Media & Communications Volunteer and has been fundamental in shaping our partnership with parkrun.
Trailblazer
The landscape of fundraising is ever-changing, particularly following the pandemic, but our fundraisers continue to rise to the challenge and adapt with a host of innovative ways of raising funds from making the headlines for their original feats to capturing the attention of audiences online; their inventiveness never fails to impress us.
Dan took on a once-in-a-lifetime challenge: flying the length of the UK in a paramotor after he lost both of his grandparents to Alzheimer’s disease.
Dan’s goal was to raise awareness of the devastating impact of dementia while raising vital funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
His journey involved more than 34 hours of flying, with his father Alan driving a support vehicle alongside him.
Dan experienced multiple obstacles along his 800-mile journey, including engine failure with an emergency crash landing.
Despite this he completed the challenge, raising £13,000 for dementia research.
He also attracted a lot of media attention along the way, appearing on BBC Breakfast and ITV News, raising awareness of dementia and the need for more research.
Volunteer of the year
An individual who has given up their time to further the work of Alzheimer’s Research UK to make breakthroughs in dementia research possible. Their contributions range from cheering our amazing supporters on at races to driving our fundraising in their local community.
Katie is one of our longest-serving fundraisers and volunteers having supported us since 2008.
She was inspired to support dementia research as her father, Tim, who had been a prisoner of war for five years after being captured in the defence of Dunkirk in 1940, died with Alzheimer’s disease.
Katie is a prominent spokesperson for the charity in her role as a media & communications volunteer and community speaker, sharing her personal experience to inspire others to get involved. She uses the contacts she made in her professional life in heritage, marketing and tourism to help promote the charity and the importance of research.
She is also Chair of the Shropshire Fundraising Group, which she helped set up in 2017. The group has raised £115,000.
Outstanding commitment
This accolade celebrates incredible individuals who have helped us, and continue to help us, in a myriad of ways from awareness-raising through to fundraising. They truly have gone above and beyond for Alzheimer’s Research UK over a number of years.
Frank Rothwell, a grandfather and retired businessman from Oldham, raised over £1.1 million for Alzheimer’s Research UK by rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, solo.
Dubbed ‘the world’s toughest row’, the then 70-year-old completed the challenge in just 56 days, picking up a Guinness World Record for ‘Oldest person to row across the Atlantic’.
Frank’s decision to support Alzheimer’s Research UK came after witnessing the heartbreaking impact of dementia on his family. His story captured the hearts of the nation and the national media with multiple appearances on BBC Breakfast.
Since crossing the finish line, Frank has continued to fly the flag for dementia research, with plans to fundraise again in 2023.
Fred has supported Alzheimer’s Research UK for over 12 years after witnessing the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on his late wife Joan.
In that time he has been a tireless campaigner and speaker for the charity, having undertaken dozens of awareness talks and attended fundraising lunches on behalf of the charity across the north west of England.
Fred, a retired engineer, also wrote a book entitled ‘Alzheimer’s: An Engineer’s View’, with all proceeds going to the charity.
His support doesn’t end there either as he has been part of charity campaigns, media launches and corporate partnership pitches over the years, helping to bring in over £130,000 of donations to the charity.
Karen embarked on an incredible challenge: to continuously walk around the coast of Britain and Ireland in January 2019.
She walked over 10,000 miles and completed her challenge on World Alzheimer's Day in September last year in memory of her husband's parents, who both had dementia. She has raised £112,633 to date.
During her 32-month challenge Karen raised a huge amount of awareness of the charity, both online, with a following of 6,000 people on her Facebook group, and in-person as she spoke to many people during her journey.
Her walk captured the attention of many news outlets from local newspapers to BBC Breakfast.
Karen continues to give talks about her challenge and support for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Since the passing of his late wife and national treasure Dame Barbara Windsor, Scott Mitchell has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of dementia and funds for research.
In 2019 Scott ran the London Marathon with friends, helping to raise over £150,000 for our Dementia Revolution campaign.
Since Barbara’s death with Alzheimer’s disease in 2020, Scott has been made an Ambassador for the charity as he continues her important legacy.
As well as running the London Marathon for Alzheimer’s Research UK again in 2021, Scott has been involved in various campaigns and initiatives to raise funds and awareness for the charity.
Professor Selina Wray is a Senior Research Fellow funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK. Selina has made an outstanding contribution to the wider work of the charity.
She frequently acts as an ambassador for dementia researchers in the charity’s fundraising activities, including the recent Omaze campaign that raised £1 million for dementia research.
She has hosted lab tours for supporters and politicians, spoken at public events, appeared in the media and championed dementia research in parliament.
Selina also combines her love for running with fundraising for the charity by taking part in races. Her next one is Chicago Marathon 2022. Her commitment to the charity outside of her research laboratory is truly inspiring.
Since Sue’s diagnosis of vascular dementia she has been on an incredible mission to raise awareness and vital funds for research.
She ran the London Marathon in 2018 raising over £13,000 and has gone on to do a variety of fundraising activities, including running two half marathons, having her head shaved and even having the charity’s logo tattooed on her arm.
Sue hopes her latest challenge, to abseil down the Orbit Tower in London, will take her fundraising total to £30,000 for the charity.
She also shares her experience to boost awareness of the condition and the need for more research into the diseases that cause it: from local media interviews to national media appearances including featuring on Channel 4’s documentary series The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes.
