Blackpool family taking part in Alzheimer's Society Memory Walk in memory of Charlie Glynn

Michelle Stevenson, 51, from Blackpool, will be taking part with daughters Jordann Stevenson, 29, and Lauren Stevenson-Marsden, 31 in the Alzheimer's Society's Memory Walk, along the seafront on Sunday September 18.

Different Memory Walks for the charity will be taking place on that date across the country, with 25 events being staged.

As well as raising vital funds for the Alzheimer's Society , the family are taking part as a tribute to Charlie Glynn, a popular larger-than-life character who used to run Oliver’s Hotel and then Colin’s Hotel, in North Shore.

Charlie, who died aged 78 in December 2020, was Michelle’s father and the grandfather of Jordann and Lauren.

Joardann, who lives at Weeton Army Camp with her partner, Ashley Bayliss, 26, said: “My grandfather was truly my best friend and watching his memories slip away to vascular dementia took a big piece of my family away.

"When he was well, my grandfather was the life and soul and he had a way of drawing people out of their shell and making them smile.

"People were used to seeing him push me and my sisters around in our prams when we were young, and he’d always stop and talk.

"That was the sort of person he was, so to see him change at the end of life was awful.

"He became a recluse, an introvert who wanted to hide away from people, the exact opposite of who he really was.

"It was heartbreaking to see it. Any kind of dementia is a horrible, cruel disease.”

Charlie had come to Blackpool after moving to England from Roscommon in the Irish Republic when he was in his late teens, later marrying Brenda and settling in Blackpool to raise his family.

Eventually he took to running hotels, a job which suited him down to the ground.

As well as Michelle, he also had son Christopher and daughter Sinead, who all grew up in Blackpool.

But a series of strokes affected him badly and then he began to succumb to dementia.

Jordann added: “He’d always prided himself on being organised but he started to become forgetful. He’s forget appointments and keep losing his thread in conversations.

"When we hard about this walk we wanted to do our bit.

"We are walking for him trying to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society so we can hopefully spare one family from our pain.”

Despite its name, the charity supports those with all kinds of dementia.

It provides a range of support for families, supports ongoing research into dementia and campaigns for the rights of those suffering from the various types of the condition.

Michelle, Jordann and Lauren will be supported on the day of the walk by other members of the family.

They have set up a Justgiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/team/Charliesangels70

Visit memorywalk.org.uk to find out more about organising your own Memory Walk or taking part in Alzheimer’s Society’s organised events, including the one at Blackpool.