Mark Simpson, a longtime supporter of Defying Dementia, celebrated his 60th birthday by hosting a fundraising gig at The Bobbin in Lancaster, a tradition he has maintained for 7 years. After raising over £3,350 for dementia research in honour of his mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease, this milestone event brought together local music lovers to raise even more money for a cause close to his heart. Mark’s ongoing efforts highlight the power of community in supporting vital research at Lancaster University.

We caught up with Mark to learn more about his passion for music and how he channelled this into a force for good.

“My personal connection with Defying Dementia began after my mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2018, inspiring me to learn more about the condition. I came across Defying Dementia at Lancaster University, and after researching further and discovering their fundraising initiatives, I wanted to be involved as my way of giving something back to the community, and to help with their vital work to support people living with dementia.”

Combining his love for music and connections with local bands and artists, Mark organised a fundraising gig at his local pub, The Bobbin in Lancaster. He dedicated the event to raising vital funds for Defying Dementia in honour of his mother.

"The gig usually takes around three months to organise, and the event runs for a full day – from midday to midnight. I always host the gigs at The Bobbin in Lancaster with fantastic support from the manager, who helps with the set up and helps to keep things running smoothly throughout the day. I’m fortunate to know many talented local bands and artists in Lancaster, and they are always willing to play free of charge, especially knowing the cause that they will be supporting. Throughout the day, the bands and artists will share that we are fundraising for Defying Dementia, and people give generously. The 2022 gig was the most emotional one for me, as it was the year that my mum passed away.”

Mark’s gig isn’t just about raising money for Defying Dementia - it’s also a great way for the local community to come together and support a cause that makes a real difference.

“The response from the local community has been incredibly supportive, and people always ask me when the next gig will be! There is definitely a strong community spirit surrounding the event. As I mentioned, the bands and artists perform free of charge, and I’m lucky to have people who support with promotion. Friends help to spread the word through Beyond Radio, social media and online platforms, while the bands and artists promote the gig through their own channels. I also put up posters in key places like the Defying Dementia shop and HMV in Lancaster. Even the manager of The Bobbin gets involved, contributing to the fundraising total at the end of the night.”

Mark had initially planned to host just one gig, but after the success of the event and realising how much of a difference he could make, as well as how much he enjoyed it, it soon became a tradition. Last December marked the seventh gig – a particularly special one as Mark also celebrated a milestone birthday.

“The gigs have become something of a tradition since I started doing them in 2018. I had originally planned to do just that one, but my mum’s condition deteriorated, and I thought that this would be my way of continuing to give back, especially after researching more about dementia and the different types that affect people. After seeing the impact that Alzheimer’s had on my mum, I decided to continue running the gigs. I have been fundraising for many different charities for around 30 years, but after my mum’s diagnosis and learning about Defying Dementia at Lancaster, I decided that this would be what I would dedicate the fundraising gigs to.

“The last one in December felt like a special way to celebrate my 60^th birthday, which for me, felt like I had reached a milestone. I did consider whether I should make that my last one, but I would certainly like to continue for one more year – I’ll definitely be doing one on the 20^th of December this year.”

Marks also shares his thoughts on the impact of his fundraising as well as his personal reflections.

“It makes me feel proud to be contributing to ground-breaking research at Lancaster University, supporting ways to develop medication to help slow down the progression of dementia in people. I’m so happy to be able to do this, so that it might help people who are living with dementia. On a personal level, as well as feeling proud, being able to fundraise for Defying Dementia makes me feel as though I am doing something worthwhile, and I’m grateful to all the people who contribute to the fundraising. Thanks to the fundraising, I have also met some brilliant people along the way, and the team at Lancaster have always been very welcoming and supportive and have always made me feel valued, which is important to me.”

On behalf of Defying Dementia and Lancaster University, we offer our heartfelt thanks to Mark for his admirable fundraising efforts for Defying Dementia in honour of his mother. We are filled with pride and are truly grateful. We would also like to extend our thanks to everyone who contributed to the gigs, including the bands, artists, venue management and everyone who donated.