Branch raises disease funds

1:38am Friday 21st March 2008

A coffee morning and special church service will mark Skipton's contribution to April's Parkinson's Awareness week.

The Skipton branch of the Parkinson's Disease Society will hold the coffee morning on Saturday, April 5, at St Andrew's Church, Newmarket Street.

And on Sunday, April 6, a Parkinson's service, led by the Rev John Daniels, vicar of Embsay, will take place at the Holy Trinity Church at 3pm.

There will also be an information stand about the progressive, neurological condition on Wednesday and Friday in Craven Court.

Skipton branch vice-chairman Douglas Riddiough said current membership stood at 56 people. The group meets every month in the Soroptimists Rooms, Otley Street when there might be a speaker or an outing.

He said: "Particularly popular and helpful are monthly exercise classes run for members by a qualified physio with special interest in Parkinson's. Normally, some 20 members take part and they speak highly of the sessions."

The branch is also pressing the North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust to appoint a specialist Parkinson's Disease nurse.