'This community is wonderful' - Rugby village creates Christmas in September for resident with dementia

A Church Lawford woman wishes to give a heartfelt thanks to her neighbours who helped to create Christmas in September for her 83-year-old father.

Karen Gill has been a carer for her father Kenneth since he was diagnosed with dementia three years ago.

Kenneth, who worked as an electrical engineer, was able to stay at his home in South Yorkshire for the first year of his diagnosis, with Karen travelling from Rugby once a week to help him with shopping and attending appointments.

But when Kenneth's dementia began to worsen, the family found him a small home near to their own in Church Lawford.

And now, two years on, Kenneth's dementia means he now requires round-the-clock care at a home.

Karen and her family wanted to make Kenneth's last night in his home a special one, so they devised a plan to create Christmas in the village and tell him they were on their way to view the Blackpool Illuminations.

"My dad has dementia so would not have realised Christmas was not anywhere near close - but my mum always made a fuss at Christmas, and as children dad used to love taking us to see the Blackpool Illuminations - so it felt like a nice family thing to do," Karen said.

"Especially in light of this horrible pandemic not going away anytime soon, I have to say I did panic and worry dad would not be able to visit us this year for Christmas.

"And as children dad used to love taking us to see the Blackpool Illuminations."

Karen asked neighbours if they might be able to help - and she was overwhelmed with the response she received.

She said: "I asked if they would be kind enough to put up some Christmas lights outside their houses and my plan was to tell dad we were off to Blackpool to see the lights."

Neighbours came out in force to help, digging whatever decorations they could find out of storage and lighting up the village.

"We were amazed," Karen said.

"Normally people have weeks to prepare for Christmas, but our neighbours managed to do all this with just a few days' notice.

"I've always known there is a wonderful community spirit here and around Rugby - but this has been wonderful."

Kenneth greatly enjoyed the evening and Karen said he is very happy at his new home at Youell Court in Coventry.

"I'm not sure if he really believed it was Christmas or whether he just thought we'd gone a bit batty and he decided to go along with it," Karen said.

"I think he was convinced - he's seen Christmas things start to appear on the telly and tins of Quality Street, which he loves, are already on sale.

Karen said the help of her neighbours is a furtherance of the strong community spirit that has been on display through the Covid-19 outbreak.

"Everyone came together, my dad's neighbour helped him with shopping, one my neighbours helped me when I couldn't get any online shopping deliveries, and the The Old Smithy pub opened as a shop for people.

"Covid has been a tragedy, but one positive thing to come from it is that so many neighbours who didn't know each other before have come together."

Karen said she is due for a rest after caring for her father for years, but in the future she would like to help other carers by sitting to give them a break.

"I know how much just giving someone an hour's break or cooking a meal can help," she said.