A support group providing vital services for people with Parkinson’s disease could close after more than 20 years.

The Parkinson’s UK Support Group in Bury, which meets once a month at Bolton Road Methodist Church, may cease operation or be forced to merge with another group if a new group co-coordinator is not found.

Alison Jennings, the group’s current co-coordinator, is retiring at the end of the year after a decade to care for her husband who has lived with the disease for the past 18 years.

She says if no one is found to fulfil the role, the group will likely have to merge with a similar support group in Bolton, which could make it harder for attendees to make it to meetings.

Alison says anyone interested in taking up the role would only need to give us a couple of hours a month to allow the group to provide invaluable support to those living with Parkinson’s.

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She said: “The group has been going for about 20 years and I’ve been doing the job since 2013.

“About three quarters of the group of Parkinson’s suffers and the rest are carers.”

Alison says the group has about 30 core members who attend each week, and group meetings usually involve a speaker with refreshments and general socialising.

The ideal candidate for a new coordinator would be someone who knows or has experience caring for someone with Parkinson’s.

“If we don’t find a group coordinator to keep the group going there is the awful possibility that we need to merge with another group, and it might be nice to maintain our own group," Alison said. 

“We’d really want someone new, a bit of fresh blood, someone younger to take the club forward into the next 10 years.

“If there’s somebody out there who has got a relative with Parkinson’s who feels they can give something back to the group or if there’s somebody out there who can give just two hours a month (that would be suitable)."

The coordinator also receives help from Parkinson’s UK as well as other volunteers in the group.

She added that the group is vital to help people with Parkinson’s socialise and access advice from others living with the disease. Its presence in Bury helps to make sure this service is as accessible as possible.

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Alison would also like to get in touch with others in the community who have Parkinson’s disease and encourage them to join, especially those who are newly diagnosed.

She added: “They would receive information, they would receive support. They can talk to people who have been there and got the t-shirt.

“Its gets them out of the house and it gets them out of themselves.”

The Parkinson’s UK Bury Support Group meets Bolton Road Methodist Church on a Monday afternoon from 2pm to 4pm once a month. For more information, visit Parkinson UK’s website.