AFTER completing the Manchester Marathon in aid of Dementia Friendly Welshpool, Melissa and Christabel from the Figure & Face beauty salon got to see exactly where the money they raised is going to.

You might expect, for a dementia charity, the money to go towards older people: people with dementia. However, Dementia Friendly Welshpool is all about making people aware of and aiding their understanding of the condition. And that includes, in this case, children.

On Friday, owner Melissa Turnbull and therapist Christabel Owen delivered the over £1,500 they raised to the charity, which will go to pupils at Welshpool Church in Wales Primary School.

The money will go towards comics to help children understand dementia and for resources for when the pupils go to meet care home residents, such as craft materials.

“They take to it so easily. They are engaged with it straight away,” said Karen Rodenburg from Dementia Friendly Welshpool.

Cathy Cooper, a teaching assistant at the school, who has now become the chair of Dementia Friendly Welshpool, takes pupils to care homes in the town every Friday.

“They love going there,” she said.

“They have got no inclinations, they see every resident as equal.

“They are kind and compassionate,” she added.

Christabel said: “People have been really supportive. Clients have been really generous, and family of course.

“It’s lovely, it’s really nice that the money is going to the children,” she said.

“This is a charity close to both our hearts and we wanted to support a Welshpool charity,” Melissa said.

“We wanted to do something for Welshpool,” Christabel added.