the Greenham Gift

The Greenham Gift is a major grant making initiative made by Greenham Common Trust, that provides up to £50,000 for a local project or organisation and £8,000 each to four further projects, all of which are chosen by readers of the Newbury Weekly News. The involvement of the general public in the voting process for the Greenham Gift ensures that a wide cross-section of the public can have a direct influence on the allocation of these major charitable awards. Greenham Common Trust chief executive, Stuart Tagg, said: "Local people have a rare opportunity in the Greenham Gift to secure major funding which enables an idea for a charitable or community project to become a reality. Over the past five years the event has seen the public select projects that might never have happened without the Greenham Gift. We are looking forward with anticipation to this year's innovative ideas."

West Berkshire Alzheimer's Society walked away with £50,000 after winning Greenham Common Trust's Greenham Gift 2010 at the final at the Corn Exchange, Newbury.

The local Alzheimer's Society branch, which wants to use the money to set up an outreach service for people with dementia in the Lambourn Valley area, was up against Naomi House, St Finian's Catholic Primary School and Bradfield Sunshine Club in the most closely contested Greenham Gift ever. The three runners-up each received £8,000 and a fourth runner-up, Crossroads Care, chosen by the audience on the night, was also awarded £8,000.

The four finalists, which were chosen by the public through an online voting system this year as well as being published in the Newbury Weekly News, had to give presentations and take questions from a public audience before they voted for a winner.

There were just two votes separating the winner from the runners-up in the final vote.

West Berkshire Alzheimer's Society's spokesperson, Mrs Chreanne Montgomery-Smith, said: "It's wonderful, we are thrilled. We do have the worry that people in rural areas are under diagnosed and under supported because they are terrified of being diagnosed, because there's so little support for them that their outlook is very bleak."

She asked a third of the audience to stand up to illustrate the shocking statistic that a third of the population over the age of 65 is likely to die with dementia.

Mrs Montgomery-Smith added that creating access to some of the positive services such as Singing for the Brain, which she pioneered in Newbury and Gardening for the Brain, will make a significant difference to Lambourn Valley residents' lives.

She said people are afraid to be labelled as having Alzheimer's or dementia and said that it is important to engage people so that they can do things for themselves. The support worker being employed with part of the Greenham Gift money will help to empower people.

Former Alzheimer's carer, Jean Bundock of East Garston, who called upon the assistance of the West Berkshire Alzheimer's Society branch for her husband Bill, said: "The more we talk about it, it lessens the stigma and it's getting so much better. It made such a difference to Bill and me. It's not just the person with Alzheimer's - it's the carer."

If you have any queries about the Greenham Gift call Jane Woodfield on 01635 817302 or e-mail charitablegrants@greenham-common-trust.co.uk