John Hill was diagnosed with dementia in 2019. There are around 850,000 people with the condition across the UK. An invisible disease, dementia is crippling. It is not only the memory that is affected - many sufferers can’t drive, can’t cook, they don’t feel hunger or thirst and most require round the clock care.

A keen bell-ringer, and supporter of St Mary’s Church, Walkern there was nothing John enjoyed more than a visit to see old friends down in the village and to hear the bells.

John died on Christmas Eve 2021 and it is his family’s wish to share donations given on his behalf between the Bell Fund of the church and Dementia UK.