Mid Ulster and Causeway Coast care home residents to benefit from 'Harry's Help'

Harry Arbuthnot, who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia at the age of 66, lived in three care homes before he passed away in February 2023.

His wife Margaret and their two daughters Amy Horner, who lives in Moneydig and works as a Childcare Assistant in Happy Days, Ballymoney, and Gill Gaston saw first-hand the benefits of stimulating activities in care homes.

The charity Harry's Help seeks to provide increased opportunities for recreation for care home residents throughout Northern Ireland.

For their first fundraiser and to celebrate what would have been Harry and Margaret's 50th wedding anniversary on July 13, Amy and Gill walked 30.03 miles between the three care homes where Harry had been a resident - The Cara, Rasharkin, Trinity House, Garvagh and Milesian Manor, Magherafelt.

Gill, a Carrickfergus GP who lives in Newtownabbey, said: "We are thrilled to have raised £4,767 and are looking forward to receiving applications for funding from care homes throughout the province."

On Thursday, August 1, Margaret, Amy and Gill visited the three homes in Rasharkin, Garvagh and Magherafelt to provide each of them with a £200 grant to be used for recreational activities for their residents.

They posted on the Harry’s Help Facebook page: “Today, we were back at The Cara, Trinity House and Milesian Manor (but thankfully we travelled by car this time!)

"We were pleased to present each of the homes with a £200 grant to be used for recreational activities for their residents. We look forward to seeing how the money is used.”