Luton aerospace company gives massive boost to Alzheimer's Society

A two-year fundraising campaign by staff at aerospace engineering company Leonardo has raised £43,986.11 for The Alzheimer’s Society.

Staff at the company, in Capability Green, Luton, nominated the Society as their site’s chosen charity, because to their commitment to research, as well as employees’ lived experiences of supporting family members who are currently living with the condition.

The fundraising was led by Luton’s Charity Committee at Leonardo that includes Gary Canzano, Chairman, Aaron Wills, Treasurer and Erica Turner, Secretary, with enthusiastic support from employees working right across the Luton business.

Gary said: “Due to Covid-19, we could not hold our usual flagship golf and summer ball fundraising events, so our people redoubled their efforts by finding new ways to fundraise. They completed a London to Brighton Cycle, a 26-mile Brecon Beacon Trek, a two mile Swim of the Serpentine and even a skydive.”

Leonardo has had a presence in Luton since 2003, and is now home to around 1,000 people who are involved in the design and development of the company’s advanced capability that includes sensors and data-handling technology for the Tempest Programme, the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS).

The Alzheimer’s Society not only funds the development of new treatments and a cure, but also research into the cause, care and prevention of dementia.

The charity’s community fundraiser, Soraya Bowen, visited the Luton site on the charity’s annual Elf Day, to accept the cheque.

She said: “We want to say a huge thank you to all staff at Leonardo, who took part in various challenges or who donated money to the cause. It’s support like this that means our services can make sure no-one faces dementia alone. Dementia research has been gradually gaining momentum and starting to deliver exciting results, but the impact of the pandemic has been devastating. This money will help to not only support our vital services such as the Dementia Connect support line, used more than six million times since the coronavirus pandemic began, but will help us to continue our ground-breaking research that will make a world without dementia a reality.

Alzheimer's Society works to challenge perceptions, fund research and provide care and support for the 850,000 people living with the condition in the UK, including more than 2,000 people living with dementia in Luton. The number of people living with the condition in the UK is anticipated to rise to two million by 2051.

Alzheimer’s Society’s highly-trained Dementia Advisers can be reached through their support line, (0333 150 3456), providing people affected by dementia with the right support.