DJ event raises £6,000 to help dementia patients

The Health Tree Foundation (HTF), Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust’s official charity, organised the fundraising event and Steve ‘Disco’ Newsome, a DJ from Hull, coordinated the live stream on his Twitch channel.

He was supported by DJ and producer, Michael Gray best known for his chart hit 'The Weekend', UK-based DJ Sam Tweaks, and American DJ and Grammy Award-winning record producer, David Morales.

The money raised from the event means HTF can buy an additional Reminiscence Interactive Therapy Activities (RITA) machines for one of the Trust's hospitals to help patients with dementia, particularly with memory impairments, by helping them recall and share events from their past through listening to music, watching news reports, listening to wartime speeches, playing games and karaoke.

The Trust currently has six RITA machines at Grimsby hospital, three at Scunthorpe hospital and one at Goole hospital. The charity is buying more machines in the future and hope to eventually have one on each ward.

Steve said: “I was overwhelmed by the love and support we received from my online community. Donations were given from people all over the world who would never set foot in northern Lincolnshire or Goole. The generosity shown by people for The Health Tree Foundation was outstanding.

“I can’t wait to continue to work with this fabulous charity which does amazing things.”

Steve’s next project will help raise funds for the planned therapy garden at Goole hospital. A HTF appeal is helping to raise enough funds to transform a large courtyard area into a dedicated therapeutic garden space, suited to the needs of patients, including contrasting colours and textures, sensory plants and equipment, and ‘hands-on’ gardening areas for patients, carers, staff and visitors to contribute to.

Clare Woodard, charity manager, said: “Steve is an amazing supporter of The Health Tree Foundation and we cannot thank him enough for his support and commitment.”