A group of dementia carers from Rainham were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the Tower of London recently –courtesy of Rochester-based Ward Security.
The 35-strong party, all members of the Alzheimer’s Society Carers’ Support Group, which meets every Friday in Rainham, were coached up to the world-famous tourist attraction where they were met by none other than Keith Hanson, chief exhibitor of the Crown Jewels - and the man personally responsible for the security of all the jewels in the Tower of London.
After a brief introduction, Keith then led the group on an insightful tour of the crown jewels. He was also subjected to a barrage of questions from his eager party –including everything from where did Henry VIII live to how much is the Koh-I-Noor diamond worth? (answer: priceless)
This was followed by lunch at the recently refurbished New Armouries restaurant, the only surviving example of a huge storehouse for holding ordnance (military supplies) at the Tower.
It was a fantastic day out for the members of the Alzheimer’s Society Carers’ Support Group, which was set up more than 20 years ago. Ward Security’s managing director David Ward’s grandmother Greta was one of the early members of the group after her husband developed the disease.
The group organises various outings throughout the year to provide welcome relief for the carers, whose role in providing round-the-clock support to loved ones or other dementia sufferers is invaluable but often unrewarded.
Group co-ordinator David Royle said providing trips to places like the Tower of London helped break up the daily challenges of caring for someone with a degenerative disease like Alzheimer’s. “When you're caring for someone with dementia, it can be all too easy to ignore your own needs and to forget that you matter too,” he says. “Having time to share experiences with other carers in an interesting environment like the Tower of London can be just the right thing to help relieve the daily pressure of being a full-time carer.”
It’s certainly something that David Ward is passionate about. “Having experienced first-hand the devastating effects of dementia, and the effect it can have on people around the patient, we wanted to support the Alzheimer’s Society Carers’ Support Group and give them something to share in and enjoy.”
