This week representatives from Lynx 2 Business, the Yeovil based business referral group, presented a cheque for £200 to the Magnolia House Minibus Appeal. The cheque presentation was held at Papa Pancho’s restaurant in Bond Street, Yeovil, which hosted a recent Lynx 2 Business fundraising and social event for the appeal.  Papa Pancho’s served a tasting menu with a selection of Mexican and Italian dishes and generously donated the meal profits to this community project.

Earlier this year Lynx 2 Business unanimously voted to nominate the Magnolia House Minibus Appeal as their “charity of the year” following Shayne Walter from SW Autotech sharing with the group the aims of the appeal and the story behind it’s launch.

The appeal was born out of adversity. Wilma McColl, whose 53 year old husband, Jim, contracted the debilitating DBH form of dementia at a very early age, received tremendous support from Magnolia House, but found out that this support is limited due to the fact they have no facilities to cater for younger people with Dementia. She explained, “I thought, like so many others, that dementia was an an illness that old people sadly got. This is not the case and many young people have this disease and like Jim struggle to find the support and help that is more readily given to people who are in their later years.”

Wilma spoke with Magnolia House to find out what would help them to give better care to younger dementia sufferers and discovered that a Mini Bus would be a godsend. It would give them the opportunity to do more for younger people, as their facility in Yeovil really does only cater for elderly patients. Spurred on by the challenge of caring for Jim and the realisation that a minibus could make a real difference Wilma is aiming to raise £25,000 to create a fund to lease a suitable vehicle for Magnolia House.

Lynx 2 Business member Chris Jones of Spinnaker Marketing said, “hearing Wilma’s and Jim’s story first hand is extremely moving and you cannot help but want to do what you can to help. I am filled with admiration for what Wilma is doing in spite of her daily personal struggles.”

Appeal supporters Lynx 2 Business meet for breakfast every Tuesday at Yeovil Golf Club and work together to help each others companies to thrive through business referral. To find out more go to www.lynx2business.co.uk