Alzheimer funds sought

Press, 13 April 1989, Page 15

Alzheimer funds sought

By

TOM METCALFE

Contributions of between $2 and $lO a week for three years are being sought to help fund a $3.3 million home for elderly sufferers of Alzheimer’s disease. The Anglican Social Services in Christchurch are developing the home at Churchill Courts, in Richmond, and have already raised $2 million, including a $1.5 million grant from the Government. On Sunday, the Anglican Social Services hope to announce that a further $250,000 has been raised for the 20-bed home, according to its project officer, Mr Brian Watkins. A function will be held at the Stapletons Road site to publicly launch the “community gifts” campaign. The organisation hoped to raise $375,000 through “community gifts,” where about 200 people would give between $3OO and

$l5OO over three years to the project. Already close to $lOO,OOO had been pledged through community gifts, Mr Watkins said. Donations of more than $3OOO had already raised more than $500,000 since fund-raising started in November last year, he said. The $3.3 million redevelopment of Churchill Courts, a former orphanage, will make it the first home in the South Island purpose-built for elderly Alzheimer’s disease sufferers. The Anglican Social Services planned to call tenders in early June, once the Health Department’s final approval is given. The first stage of the project will provide 20 beds plus a kitchen and laundry to be used by an existing 38-bed geriatric hospital at Churchill Courts.