Memory Walk brings community together

The highway was transformed into a sea of teal as more than 40 people turned out in support of the Narrabri Memory Walk on Sunday morning.

The group gathered outside Whiddon’s Robert Young home.

Dressed in their colourful shirts, the group looked fantastic as they walked across the bridge to The Crossing Theatre and back.

It was a time to reflect and remember those living with, and those lost to dementia. Teal is the colour of Dementia Australia.

Dementia impacts close to half a million Australians and almost 1.6 million Australians are involved in their care. The number of people living with dementia is set to double in the next 25 years.

Organised by the Narrabri Dementia Friendly Town Committee, the Memory Walk aimed to raise awareness of dementia, and also raise some funds for Dementia Australia to continue their work supporting people and their families who are living with dementia.

Joan Griffiths from the committee made teal ribbons and the walkers wrote their loved ones’ names on the ribbon and attached them to the Whiddon fence at the end of the walk.

The walkers then returned for a delicious barbecue to close the event, supplied and cooked by Rotary Club of Narrabri members Julie and Grahame Herbert.

“We are grateful to a range of sponsors”, said Kylie Finlay, memory and cognition nurse from the Mehi cluster and chair of the organising committee.

“Whiddon who donated the major raffle prizes, Rotary for donating and cooking the barbecue and HealthWISE with grant funding from the Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Health Network which covered the shirts and other event costs. Thanks also to The Courier for promoting our event”.

More than $1700 was raised at the time of going to print.

“I have a few more shirts available for a donation if anyone is interested,” said Kylie. Kylie and the team hope to make this a biennial event. “Thank you for the support and interest and see you in 2025,” she said.