Kathy’s Charity Ball For Alzheimer’s Society In Memory Of Her Well-loved Dad

Published on: 4 Sep, 2015
Updated on: 4 Sep, 2015

Losing her dad to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in the short space of nine months hit Kathy Burrowes her family and her aunt Shirley West, hard.

Ernie Clarke, aged 71, had been fit and healthy and his close relatives were shocked at the speed of his decline in 2007.

Kathy Burrowes and her aunt Shirley West with a picture of Ernie Clarke – Kathy’s treasured dad and Shirley’s much-loved brother. Known to many as ‘Nobby’, he was well known in Guildford. He died in 2007 after suffering dementia. Kathy and her sister Vanessa are holding a ball in his memory to raise funds for The Alzheimer’s Society.

Now, for the first time since her dad died, Kathy feels she wants to do something to help raise awareness of the disease he suffered.

She is holding a lavish charity ball to raise money for The Alzheimer’s Society, which supports families who are having to cope with mental health issues.

Ernie, known to many as ‘Nobby’, lived in Guildford and was well liked. He did his National Service in the local Queen’s regiment,  and while in the army was a PT instructor.

Later he was a milkman and then for 30 years was a bus driver with Blue Saloon, later Tillingbourne Buses.

Kathy says: “He always found time to talk to his passengers. Some used to stand on the bus near his cab chatting to him as he drove.”

Shirley, known to many for her fundraising for the British Heart Foundation, says: “My brother was the fifth eldest in a family of eight. I was the youngest. We all grew up in Drummond Road.  He was always there for me, and such a great handyman. His time on the buses was the happiest of his life.”

In looking back on how her dad’s illness developed Kathy says: “He started to forget little things and he got his grandchildren’s names mixed up. At first we used to joke about it.

“He became depressed and sometimes had a kind of vacant look about him. He used to say that he could feel something over his head.”

Checked out by his GP, Ernie was diagnosed with short-term memory loss, and Shirley adds: “He was feeling lonely, so I took him to the Park Barn Centre to meet other people. He attended its Four Seasons centre that helps people with dementia and memory loss and seemed to enjoy going there.”

However, his condition began to get progressively worse and Kathy says that she knew it began to scare him.

Ernie was admitted to Guildford’s Farnham Road Hospital for two weeks but desperately wanted to go home to his flat. Kathy arranged for this and he was then reassessed. But was re-admittted to hospital where he spent the next six months.

“By this time he was getting angry,” recalls Kathy, knowing that it was so unlike her dad.

Shirley, who visited him regularly along with Kathy and her sister Vanessa, adds: Ernie’s speech then appeared to be deteriorating and one of his arms looked like he’d had a stroke, which he hadn’t.”

Now fast losing his battle against the disease, Ernie went into a care home in Elstead. His family continued to visit, but found that often his only speech was swear words.

After her dad died Kathy says she did not want to think about Alzheimer’s disease and everything associated with it and what he and her family had endured.

Now,  she feels the time is right for her to do something to help raise awareness and money for The Alzheimer’s Society, an organisation her and her family knew little of while her dad was ill.

Along with her sister Vanessa, they are holding The Forget Me Not Ball.

It is taking place on Saturday, September 26, at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel in Guildford. It will feature a three-course meal with tea or coffee. There will be entertainment, dancing and an auction. All proceeds will go to The Alzheimer’s Society.

Tickets are £65 each and groups can book a table of eight or 10. It promises to be a grand night in memory of Ernie ‘Nobby’ Clarke.

To book and for more details send Kathy Burrowes an email to catburrowes@yahoo.co.uk

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