Former Brookside star urges people to take part in bike ride for dementia research

AN actress and fitness instructor from Merseyside whose dad died with a rare form of dementia is inviting people to join her on a fundraising cycle ride supporting pioneering research.

Paula Muldoon has organised the 62 mile Braveheart Cycle, from Waterloo to Preston and back, on Saturday, 22 September 2018 to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK.

The 48 year old, who played Diana Corkhill in soap opera Brookside, has been a supporter of the UK's leading dementia research charity since 2011 and has raised ₤43,000 through her annual Braveheart Cycle rides and exercise marathons. She's hoping this year's event will bring the total to ₤50,000.

Paula, who is a personal trainer and nutritionist, was inspired to support dementia research as her father Michael was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) aged just 55 and died in 2012 aged 64.

FTD is thought to account for fewer than 1 in 20 of all dementia cases. While most people associate dementia with memory loss, people living with FTD usually have changes in their behaviour and personality.

Paula, who lives in Waterloo, said:- "This ride will be particularly poignant as this year my dad would have turned 70. The only reason I'm a fitness instructor is because of my dad; I owe him my career. Before he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, he was a real entrepreneur. He set up and ran several gyms across the country. Having seen the long journey my dad travelled and having witnessed others living with dementia during my dad's in 2017, it's the most heartbreaking of conditions, it's like losing the person you love twice. I'm so pleased to continue his legacy by encouraging people to keep fit and I'm using those skills to raise money for a charity which is very close to my heart."

Cyclists will meet at the Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre, in Waterloo at 8am, leaving promptly at 8.15am.

The group will ride along the promenade adjacent to the beach, through Hightown and through the connecting path alongside Altcar to Formby. They will then ride through the woods along paths that pass through Formby Golf Club to the coast road. The ride will continue on to Southport and Preston, stopping for lunch at 'Ego at The Fox' before cycling back.

The route will be mainly off road apart from a short stretch through Formby. The route passes by three train stations which gives people an option to choose the length of cycle that suits them.

All participants will be expected to have a road worthy bike, with a spare inner tube in case of punctures.

The cost of the event is ₤35 per adult and ₤20 for under 16's. ₤12 will be used to provide food at the halfway mark, with the remaining going to the charity. Cyclists are also encouraged to get sponsorship for the event.

Paula, who was made a Champion of Alzheimer's Research UK in 2014 in recognition of her fundraising efforts, said:- "The event is open to anyone who would like a fun but challenging day out, while at the same time raising some money for a good cause. It's such a great experience to be able to do something worthwhile, while improving your health. We go at the speed of the slowest cyclist and leave no 1 behind. It's been great to hear about people who have bought their, 1st adult bike specifically to join this ride. We'll also have quite a few cyclists joining us from the North East and Scotland who I had the pleasure of cycling Hadrian's Wall with in 2010. Past rides have been incredible and have created memories for life as well as forging new friendships."

To sign up for the cycle ride or for more information email Paula at:- Paula@CoreFit.Org.UK. To sponsor Paula go to:- JustGiving.Com/FundRaising/Paula-Muldoon.

Gillian Edwards, Alzheimer's Research UK Regional Fundraising Officer for the North West, said:- "Paula is a fantastic supporter of Alzheimer's Research UK and we can't thank her enough for once again organising a cycle ride to raise money for vital dementia research. We hope this ride will be the biggest and best yet."

For further information about Alzheimer's Research UK, or to find out more about fundraising for the charity, call:- 0300 111 5555 or visit:- AlzheimersResearchUK.Org.

Millions miss out on vital health checks that could save lives

RECENT analysis from Diabetes UK shows that less than ½ of over 40's in the North West, eligible for an NHS Health Check in the last 5 years, have actually received 1.

Launched in England in 2009, the programme offers a 5 yearly check up to everyone aged 40 to 74, with the aim of spotting the early signs of:- diabetes, stroke, kidney disease, heart disease and dementia.

Between 2013 and 2018, the population of people eligible to receive an NHS Health Check in England totalled 15.5 million, but only 6.8 million (44%) went on to receive 1.

There is significant regional variation of NHS Health Checks across England. While in the North West only 48% of the eligible population attended the health check between 2013 and 2018, in the East of England the figure was 50%, but in the South West this figure was even lower at only 35%.

On a local authority level in the North West this variation is greater still, with a 3 fold variation between the best and worst performing local authorities. The highest performing area in the region is Bolton with 92% of the eligible population receiving a health check, and the worst performing area being Manchester with just 29% take up.

Since 2013, local authorities have a legal duty to 'seek continuous improvement' in the numbers of people in their area having a health check, with funding from Public Health England. However, only 55 local authorities delivered more NHS Health Checks in 2017 to 2018 than they did in 2015 to 2016, while the remaining 97 delivered fewer.

Diabetes UK is urging local authorities to do more to get people to their health check, as this is a vital route for referral into the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme for those who are found to be at high risk of Type 2 diabetes.

There are 12.3 million people at increased risk of developing diabetes and knowing their risk could help them prevent the onset of the condition. It is also estimated that there are nearly 1 million people currently living with Type 2 diabetes who don't know they have it because they haven't been diagnosed.

Yvonne Browne, Improving Care Manager at Diabetes UK said:- "The success of the programme in certain areas is due to local Councils working hard to make it easier for people to attend these free health checks, that only take 15 minutes and can help keep people healthy. It is absolutely vital that all people who are eligible in every area get a health check. If left undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes can lead to devastating complications including blindness, amputations, stroke and kidney failure, but with the right treatment and support people living with diabetes can lead a long, full and healthy life."

To find out your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, go to:- Diabetes.Org.UK/RiskScore.

Regional breakdown
Region		Highest		Lowest
London	49%	Westminster	91%	Croydon	18%
South East	39%	East Sussex	52%	Surrey	19%
East	50%	Suffolk	59%	Bedford	43%
South West	35%	Isles of Scilly	77%	Cornwall	22%
West Midlands	48%	Walsall	99%	Wolverhampton	26%
East Midlands	47%	Leicester	76%	Nottingham	27%
North East	41%	Gateshead	69%	Sunderland	26%
North West	48%	Bolton	92%	Manchester	29%
Yorkshire and the Humber	39%	Barnsley	61%	East Riding	18%
National	44%	* NHS Health Check Data available online.

News reports located on this page = 2.

Former Brookside star urges people to take part in bike ride for dementia research

Millions miss out on vital health checks that could save lives