Foresters Charity Appeal Monthly Roundup – February 2026
Welcome to the latest edition of our Foresters charity appeal roundup! In this series, we provide updates on our current appeal and celebrate the incredible efforts of our members, as they unite to support Alzheimer’s Society – the UK’s leading dementia charity.
New Year Challenge
In January we launched our ‘982 Mile New Year Challenge’ in support of Alzheimer’s Society. Members were invited to cover a combined 982 miles collectively by 22nd June, which is one mile for every one of the 982,000 people in the UK living with dementia.
A message from High Chief Ranger, Gail Lancaster:
“I sincerely thank everyone who is taking part and invite you to share your progress throughout the challenge. I’m delighted to see everyone’s progress and commitment so far. Non-Executive Director Ray Milne has got off to a flying start having pledged to hike or walk a staggering one metre for every one of the 982,000 people with dementia in the UK – all before our AGM in June. This approximately equates to a marathon every week for 25 weeks!
By mid-February, Ray had completed 346,000 metres in Yorkshire, and other countries visited. Thank you, Ray and keep up the amazing work! If you’d like to learn more, check out Ray’s recent blog here.
Congratulations also to member Sharon Blunsdon, who has covered a total of 137.69 miles since the beginning of the year. In January alone, Sharon covered 88.75 miles by swimming, cycling and walking at her local leisure centre.
Well done, Sharon. Please keep up the great work!”
How to Get Involved
There’s still plenty of time to get involved if you’d like to be part of the challenge:
- Choose your distance – decide how many miles you’d like to complete, either individually or as a group
- Pledge your miles – email us at [email protected] so we can add your contribution to our running total
- Get moving – you can walk, run, swim, cycle, dance, or row the distance
- Complete your distance by Monday 22nd June 2026 – and ask friends and family to sponsor your efforts along the way
Southern Conference
February marked the start of our conference season, and we launched it with a lively Southern Conference on 27th February in Southsea. The day brought together 130 delegates, all eager to learn, connect, and share their ideas.
High Chief Ranger, Gail Lancaster added: “We were delighted to welcome Ross Boon, Regional Fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society, who delivered an engaging and interactive workshop on what it means to be a Dementia Friend.
The session was very well received and afterwards, many members shared how much they valued the practical insight into dementia and the simple, everyday ways we can all make a difference.
I am very pleased to confirm that all 130 delegates in attendance have become Dementia Friends. Including Foresters staff who had already completed the sessions, our total number of Dementia Friends now stands at 160. I’m very grateful to everyone that has taken part, which reflects the compassion and support across our friendly society.
I look forward to seeing more of you in March at our Northern Conference.”
Dementia Research Close to Home
With our Head Office situated in Southampton, we were recently inspired to hear about a milestone happening in the community around us. The University Hospital Southampton has become the first place in the UK to recruit a dedicated dementia research nurse as part of a new £3million investment from Alzheimers Society.
This milestone highlights the charities incredible impact and how their work can make a real difference to people’s lives. You can find out more about the Dementia Research Nurse Network on the Alzheimer’s Society website.
Thank You!
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone taking part in our Annual Charity Appeal. Your generosity is helping people affected by dementia today, while bringing us closer to a future where nobody faces it alone.
If you’re worried about dementia, help is available. Please contact the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Support Line on 0333 150 3456 for further information, advice and emotional support.
To learn more about our Annual Charity Appeal, click here.