A PENSIONER devoted to her dementia stricken husband is to launch a fund to help other families in Barrow who find themselves pulled apart to access care for the disease.

Walney resident Madge Bazeley will host a charity night to officially begin the Barrow Carer's Travel Trust Fund next month.

Together with her son Paul, the 84-year-old hopes as many people as possible will support the move which aims to provide a donation to anyone who has to travel a long distance to visit relatives placed in dementia facilities in other parts of the country.

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Mrs Bazeley, who lives at West Shore Park, was moved to start the fund after being separated from her husband of more than 60 years, former shipyard worker Eric, who is at a specialist centre in Wakefield, Yorkshire, for people in the advanced stages of the disease.

She now makes a 250-mile round trip to see him once a fortnight because there is nowhere in Cumbria that offers the specialist help he needs.

Mrs Bazeley described the situation as 'awful' and 'lonely', adding she wanted to do something to help others who find themselves in the same situation.

Mrs Bazeley described the situation as 'awful' and 'lonely', adding she wanted to do something to help others who find themselves in the same situation.

"At first, I just wanted people to know about what was happening to try to get something done about it.

"But now I want to do what I can to help anyone else in the same situation and this is one way I can do that."

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The Barrow Carer's Travel Trust Fund will launch with a pie and peas night at Barrow's Lisdoonie Hotel, in Abbey Road, on Friday, October 21.

The evening, which will take place between 7.30pm and 11.30pm, will include a raffle, disco and live music from local band The Side Cars.

Tickets, costing £6 each, are

Tickets, costing £6 each, are on sale from Thursday in Morrisons, the Mind in Furness Charity Shop, in School Street, the West Shore Park office, on Walney, Gasbagz, in Duke Street, and Liverpool House Surgery in Risedale Road.

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Campaign to make every person and business in Barrow dementia aware