Story

RICE Charity Concert – Thursday 13th October 2011 This page has been created for those of you who want to help Alzheimer’s research charity RICE stage their grand charity concert in Bath in May. The concert has come about through the generosity and compassion of two amazing women, Sybil Mansfield & Joan Davis. All of the money raised on this page will go towards the cost of securing the venue and the production and promotion of ticket sales to ensure a fabulous turnout on the night. Any sponsorship money left after costs have been met will go straight into the 2011 RICE Research Programme. Sybil Mansfield understands first hand the challenges of coping with dementia. Her husband Harvey has been recently diagnosed with this terrible disease and is now one of the more than 750,000 people in the UK living with it. However, dementia affects the whole family, as Sybil explains, “It was a terrible shock to witness his slow deterioration and finally accept the diagnosis. The initial feelings of isolation have faded as I have found the support of others out there who are fighting this disease. In particular I have received tremendous support from RICE. Thanks to the information, advice and help provided by them, Harvey and I have been able to continue to enjoy an independent life for longer than I thought would be possible. Their help has included education for me, in particular with the Carers Course, which not only gave me a greater understanding of what has happened to Harvey and provided me with understanding about the progression of this disease but also put me in touch with many other groups and organisations who will be available to help both of us now and in the future.” Sybil’s indomitable spirit has driven her to find ways of fighting dementia. One of her great loves is singing, and she approached her friend, renowned jazz singer Joan Davis, about helping. They came to RICE with a proposal to put on a fabulous concert to raise as much money as possible to go towards their research programme and the community programmes and courses supporting carers and families of people with dementia. Joan Davis’ career as a prolific jazz vocalist and writer started in Washington DC, the cosmopolitan capital of the US. She has played with some of the greatest jazz musicians of our time, travelling the world, but after a holiday in England in 1981 she took the country to her heart and it has been her home-base ever since. For the concert she has unselfishly given her time to coordinate a stellar line up of jazz musicians to delight any stage. Your donation will be going towards the staging of this show. As you give, please feel free to leave a message. If you’re a UK tax payer don’t forget to tick the Gift Aid box as that will ensure we receive an additional 28p from the Government for every pound you donate. If you’d rather remain anonymous just follow the instructions provided. If you have any questions or would like to donate another way, please Email Gina on <a href="mailto:g.caddick@bath.ac.uk">g.caddick@bath.ac.uk</a> or phone 01225 476435. If you can, why not join us for a fantastic evening of jazz and soul in support of Alzheimer’s research? Tickets are £18 each for cabaret seating, including wine, or £12 for a balcony seat and £8 for student's balcony seating. The concert will be at the Komedia in Bath, a wonderful building converted from an art deco cinema into an atmospheric show venue. We can guarantee you a fun filled evening of music, song and entertainment. For information on how to buy tickets Email Gina on <a href="mailto:g.caddick@bath.ac.uk">g.caddick@bath.ac.uk</a> or phone 01225 476435. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So please dig deep and donate now.