After a 2 month campaign, Halifax MP Holly Lynch has handed over a large stash of donated foreign coins to the Alzheimer’s society to help fund their essential research.

Local residents have been handing in their coins to Halifax Town Hall and the Elsie Whiteley Innovation Centre from as far as South Africa, Guatemala, and Indonesia.

850,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia and more than 67,000 of those people live in Yorkshire and the Humber.

The coins collected will be exchanged by the Alzheimer’s society to help them fund research into the cause, cure, care and prevention of dementia.

Holly has previously worked with the Alzheimer’s Society to run Dementia Friends events in Halifax and at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool last year. These events help participants to better understand how dementia affects people’s daily lives and what can be done to improve the way we support those with dementia.

Holly said;

“Whilst more and more people are living well with dementia, there is still a long way to go. This money will help with vital research and support for those living with dementia.

“New treatments are badly needed and I am hopeful that we could see new drugs in the coming years which can finally beat dementia.

“Thank you to everyone who donated, your money will go a long way in helping the Alzheimer’s Society’s work.”

Alison Bradbury, Dementia Support Manager at the Alzheimer’s Society, said;

“As a charity, we rely on the generosity of individuals to help us continue our vital work. We are really pleased that Holly has been working with her constituents to support us in this way. We would like to say a big thank you to all those who donated to support people with dementia in Halifax.”

“If anyone still has coins that they would like to donate, or would like to collect coins within their workplace or family and friends, then please do get in touch with the Alzheimer’s Society using my email address alison.bradbury@alzheimers.org.uk”.