A TEAM of Witton Street travel agents will become Santa's little helpers for the day to raise money for Alzheimer's, in memory of a colleague's grandmother.
Staff at Hays Travel will be bringing festive cheer to the high street during the Alzheimer's Society's Elf Day on December 6 – donning elf costumes, serving mince pies and running fun games.
The eight-strong team are hoping to raise hundreds for those affected by dementia, after Gemma Dudley watched her nanna suffer with the disease for more than two years before she died aged 97.
Gemma, 38, said: "It's a cause that is very close to my heart so I'm happy to go all out. We'll all have our elf sweaters and slippers on and hopefully we'll raise a lot of money."
The mum-of-four lost her bubbly nanna Kate Dudley, known as Kit, six years ago and said it was hard to see her health decline.
She said: "My nanna had a wicked sense of humour and was always well dressed and presented. So the way in which it went was so sad for everyone who knew and loved her.
"I have wonderful memories of my nanna. She lived in the same house in Nantwich for as long as I can remember and her and my grandad Frank, who is also no longer with us, had a caravan in west Wales.
"She was very well known, my nanna. She used to be a teacher, then she ran the Raven pub in Darnhall with my grandad and then right up into her 80s she was running two youth clubs."
As with many sufferers, Kit remained fiercely independent and first showed signs that the family put down to old age.
Sadly, her condition deteriorated quite rapidly – but would remain pleased to see family members 'whether she remembered who you were or not'.
Gemma's eldest daughter Chloe, 20, is currently working in a care home alongside her university studies.
Gemma said: "It's really rewarding and has given her personal experience – it's nice to be able to give something back.
"She always says I want to make nanna proud and I know she will have.”
Rebekah Gate, Hays Travel Northwich manager, said: “I am so proud of my team coming together to raise funds for this great charity which holds a special place in a few of our hearts.
“It’s an awful disease and we will do what we can to help raise awareness and I know we will be hoping to collect as much money as possible on the day for the Alzheimer’s Society too.”
To support the Hays Travel Northwich elf day, pop into the store on Witton Street.
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