Norfolk's dementia ambassador Shetland Pony is taking part in a charity walk for Admiral Nurses
25 April 2019, 16:24 | Updated: 25 April 2019, 16:29
A charity walk to raise money for Admiral Nurses is being walked by a Dementia ambassador Shetland Pony from Norfolk.
The walk will take place this Sunday (28th April) at Kimberley Hall in Norfolk and will see participants, including Jack the pony, walk 6 miles to raise money to help dementia patients in the county.
Jack Brock was made an ambassador by the East of England Co-op for visiting patients in care homes as a therapy pet.
Through taking him to visit people with dementia, his owner Ali Stearn realised that there was a need for more Admiral nurses in the county.
She told Heart what it means to people that he visits:
"People living with dementia are either quite with it or not at all, and the people who almost can't respond to anybody anymore, which is devastating, they did respond to Jack.
One gentleman Jack visited, he loved him and stroked him and kept telling me about his cats, at the time he was thoroughly enjoying himself, cuddling Jack and engaging and having a great conversation about cats eventhough Jack is not a cat. It was just lovely to see him happy."
There are 18-thousand people in Norfolk with the condition, but there's only three nurses to provide specialised care.
Marie Lucas, Coordinator of Norwich City Dementia Alliance, Dianne Fernee, the Organiser of Wymondham Dementia Support Group and Jack's owner Ali have all planned the event together to help fund more nurses.
