WE’RE almost half way there!

That’s the message from campaigners fighting to save a vital Hampshire service that transforms the lives of those living with dementia.

As reported, the Forget-Me-Not charity is facing the threat of closure unless it can raise much-needed £10,000 by the end of the month.

Last week the Daily Echo launched a fundraising appeal in a bid to try and save the gardening group from shutting its doors for good.

And already the small group, based at Mayfield Nurseries, has received £4,000 – thanks to the generosity of readers.

Nurseries manager Rachel Hampton said: “We’ve had a £2,000 cheque from the Barker Mill Foundation and £300 in personal contributions from various people. The online campaign has also gone up and the teams at Solent Mind are fundraising too.”

She added: “The response has been amazing.’ “A lady said her husband has recently died and it’s an amazing thing we’re doing. Things like that are really nice to hear.”

Victoria Hall, fundraising manager at mental health organisation Solent Mind, which runs the nurseries said: “A lot of the money raised for dementia goes into research, not community activities, so when you see the impact on people using them it’s all the more reason to get behind campaigns like this.

“It’s not just the patients who benefit, it’s their families as well.”

Mayfield Nurseries is a social enterprise and relies on grant funding, the last chunk of which came from Southampton City Council and London organisation the Charles Hayward Foundation.

But now that money has run out the organisation has to wait for other ‘pots’ of cash to become available – and in the meantime rely on the generosity of public donations.

Forget-Me-Not group supervisor Diane Bizley said: “The money we’ve raised so far will make a huge difference and will give us some breathing space.

“Two weeks ago we were really down in the dumps. There is still a long way to go to keep the group running but we’ve got people offering to do bits and pieces of fundraising.”

Can you help? Show your support for the Forget-Me-Not appeal by visiting www.justgiving.com/Mayfield-Nurseries or call 023 8044 7743.

• If you are planning a fundraiser or are a local business or organisation who would like to donate, contact Sian Davies at the Daily Echo on 023 8042 4504 or email sian.davies@dailyecho.co.uk.