I'm raising £500 in honour of Dementia Action Week by running my first 5k on Friday the 23rd of May. All funds raised will be used to provide meaningful activities in Springwood.

What is Springwood:

Springwood is a complex needs unit for people of an older age in Malton. It's a well-established community of professionals, service users and their friends and families.

Engagement Stations and Meaningful Activites:

At Springwood we use engagement stations to engage those within our service in meaningful activities. We continually attempt to personalise these stations so that they meet the preferences of our service users. All funds raised will be used to generate more resources for these stations (See below for ideas!).

Dementia Action Week:

From the 19th to the 25th of May The Alzheimer's Society aims to raise awareness about dementia and encourage individuals and organizations to take action on the issue. In honour of this, I'm raising funds as I believe having a meaningful occupation is a key part of living well.

Why I'm Running:

Since starting this role I've continually found myself in a state of admiration and appreciation for the people of Springwood: the staffs dedication to good service, the patients perseverance and the families love and care. I think, in a round-about way, this run symbolises all of these elements.

About Me:

I'm a new Occupational Therapy Assistant at Springwood. I started my first shift on the 10th of March, 2025. I started running around this time and ran my first mile at the TEWV fun run on the 19th of April. I find running to be really challenging but I believe it's good to frequently engage in challenging occupations to enable growth and build resilience.

The Route:

This route will take me around and through York, starting and finishing at The Minster. I will start running on Friday the 23rd of May at 8am.

Here are some ideas of what we'd like to provide with the funds raised:

Mini-golf course

Arts and craft supplies (paints, clay, felt, knitting wool, origami)

Karaoke machine

Board games (jigsaws, noughts and crosses, snakes and ladders, giant jenga)

Self-care supplies (nail varnish, massage tool)

Fidget toys (fidget pad, fidget blanket)

Gardening supplies (pots, equipment, seeds)

Musical intruments

Carnival games (hoops, hook-a-duck, bean bag toss, spin the wheel)

Sensory supplies (colourful lights, essential oils)

Food and Drink

Felt mat for Dominoes and Jigsaws

Books (poetry, trains, local history, architecture)