World Parkinson’s Day - Awareness Event
Preparations are underway for World Parkinson’s Day 2026, and the Lyme Regis District Parkinson’s Support Group is planning a special weekend of community events centred around the Jubilee Pavilion on Marine Parade.
Throughout the weekend, the group will host an Awareness Stand, providing vital information about Parkinson’s, the support available for those affected, advances in research, and details about local groups and activities. Visitors will also be able to attend a series of informal “Seaside Chats”, where Parkinson’s experts and professionals will share their knowledge and answer questions.
As evening falls, the group will also illuminate the beautiful trees in Langmoor Gardens in blue light. The display will mark World Parkinson’s Day on Saturday 11 April, when Parkinson’s UK encourages communities across the country to “Make It Blue” — whether by lighting up buildings, hosting blue-themed bake sales, or simply wearing blue for the day.
Stephanie Colston, Co-ordinator for the Lyme Regis District Parkinson’s Support Group and someone living with Parkinson’s herself, says the initiative carries deep meaning.
“As someone living with Parkinson’s, seeing the community come together to mark World Parkinson’s Day is very moving. It’s not just about lighting up buildings; it’s about shining a light on the challenges we face and the support that’s out there. By turning the trees in Langmoor Gardens blue, we hope to emphasise that no one is alone with Parkinson’s — there’s support out there, and people who care.”
Each year, the awareness day celebrates the global Parkinson’s community and shows support for people living with the condition. Parkinson’s is a complex neurological condition with over 40 possible symptoms, including tremor, muscle pain, balance problems, anxiety, fatigue and sleep disturbances. While treatments can help manage symptoms, there is currently no cure, and the condition progresses over time.
Recent figures show that Parkinson’s is on the rise, with more than 166,000 people currently diagnosed in the UK and someone new receiving a diagnosis every 20 minutes. Globally, experts estimate that by 2050 the number of people living with Parkinson’s could double to 25 million.
The Lyme Regis event aims not only to raise awareness but also to remind those affected that support, information and community are available locally.
Saturday Schedule
Seaside Chats Schedule: Saturday 11 April from 10.00am
Join our Parkinson’s Experts as they discuss some of the key aspects of Parkinson’s, with the aim of helping everyone affected by the condition live a better life through knowledge and understanding.
Please note that there is no charge for access to the Jubilee Pavilion Parkinson’s Information Area or for attending any of the Seaside Chats sessions.
|
TIME |
DISCUSSION TOPIC |
PRESENTER |
|
10.00 -10.30 |
The Power of Exercise |
Maria Lewis Maria Lewis is a physiotherapist specialising in Parkinson’s disease with 10 years’ experience working exclusively with people with Parkinson’s. She is co-founder of Reach Your Peak, a physiotherapy-led online exercise community dedicated to empowering people with Parkinson’s to live their best lives. As an educator and clinician, she is lead contributor to the CIMSPA accredited Pro Parkinson’s course, playing a key role in bridging the gap between theory and practice. She equips physiotherapists and healthcare professionals with the confidence and practical skills to use exercise as a powerful tool in treating people with Parkinson’s in their communities. She is also one of the founding members of Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network Exercise Hub, a network of over 600 healthcare and exercise professionals who together seek to champion physical activity and exercise for Parkinson’s. Maria is Vice Chair of the Welsh Board of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) which gives her the opportunity to ensure rehabilitation is always on the Government’s agenda. |
|
10.30 -10.45 |
Musical Interlude |
Carmel Gardner Carmel is a familiar figure around Lyme Regis, singing with Lyme Bay Moonrakers. She is also a founding member of Salt Weavers Folk Trio, focussing on songs of land and sea. This weekend, she’ll be playing folk songs from around the British Isles on her Celtic Harp. |
|
10.45 -11.15 |
About the Parkinson’s Brain Bank |
Rory Turkmen-Smith Rory is the Tissue Bank Engagement Manager at the Brain Bank, based at Imperial College London. The Bank provides a dedicated service which allows willing donors to donate their brain and spinal cord tissue to help advance research into both multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s. |
|
|
|
Rory’s role is to facilitate the collection of precious tissue from people with and without Parkinson's who have decided to leave their brains to Parkinson's research. Every year around 120 people donate their brain and spinal cord tissue to help advance research into MS and Parkinsons. These donations have already led to major advances in the understanding of Parkinson's, and resulted in new treatments being developed and tested. |
|
11.15 -11.45 |
Musical Interlude |
Declan Duffy |
|
11.45 -12.15 |
What is Social Prescribing? |
Pauline Chart |
|
|
|
Pauline is the senior social prescriber with the Jurassic Coast Primary Care Network Social Prescribing Team. She leads the team, working alongside GPs to provide non-clinical wellbeing and support to people over 18 years old living in West Dorset. Pauline and her colleagues focus on person-centred care, addressing each individual’s specific needs, helping them to access local services, groups and activities to improve health, wellbeing and quality of life. Social Prescribing gives people the opportunity to make connections in their local area for support, new activities or ways to help boost their wellbeing in a non-medical way. Patients are connected to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support while the Social Prescribers aim is to empower people to take control of their own health and signpost them to groups and services that allow them to do the things that they love. |
|
12.15 -12.30 |
Musical Interlude |
Carmel Gardner |
|
|
|
Carmel is a familiar figure around Lyme Regis, singing with Lyme Bay Moonrakers. She is also a founding member of Salt Weavers Folk Trio, focussing on songs of land and sea. This weekend, she’ll be playing folk songs from around the British Isles on her Celtic Harp. |
|
12.30 - 13.00 |
About Parkinson’s UK |
Rob Davis |
|
|
|
Rob is a Senior Campaigner at Parkinson’s UK and is here with us in Lyme Regis to talk not only about his role as a campaigner but also to introduce his audience to Parkinson’s UK, the charity, and explain a little about its role in supporting people living with - or affected by - Parkinson’s. He will talk about what the charity does and provide an overview of its work; how it supports people a?ected by Parkinson's and the numerous research projects it leads. He will also explain how the charity works with the NHS and policy makers to ensure that people living with Parkinson's get fair access to services and benefits, and are not forgotten. He will also discuss his work as a Parkinson's UK campaigner. Campaigning activities play an important part in the work Parkinson’s UK does to achieve its goal of improving life for everyone affected by the condition. As well as being involved in local and regional campaigns here in the South West, Rob often finds himself working on national campaigns, working with NHS Trusts to improve services, councils to provide a fair and equitable service and elected o?cials to ensure the voices of our community are heard. |
|
13.00 -13.30 |
Musical Interlude |
Olly Crowther |
|
|
|
Olly is a jazz saxophonist with nearly a decade of experience, known for blending expressive improvisation with modern music. He performs at weddings and events, bringing a fresh jazz-inspired twist to familiar songs. Alongside performing, Olly also offers saxophone lessons focused on creativity and improvisation. |
|
13.30 -14.00 |
Best Exercises for Parkinson’s |
Maria Lewis Maria Lewis is a physiotherapist specialising in Parkinson’s disease with 10 years’ experience working exclusively with people with Parkinson’s. She is co-founder of Reach Your Peak, a physiotherapy-led online exercise community dedicated to empowering people with Parkinson’s to live their best lives. As an educator and clinician, she is lead contributor to the CIMSPA accredited Pro Parkinson’s course, playing a key role in bridging the gap between theory and practice. She equips physiotherapists and healthcare professionals with the confidence and practical skills to use exercise as a powerful tool in treating people with Parkinson’s in their communities. She is also one of the founding members of Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network Exercise Hub, a network of over 600 healthcare and exercise professionals who together seek to champion physical activity and exercise for Parkinson’s. Maria is Vice Chair of the Welsh Board of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) which gives her the opportunity to ensure rehabilitation is always on the Government’s agenda. |
|
14.00 -14.30 |
Musical Interlude |
Carmel Gardner Carmel is a familiar figure around Lyme Regis, singing with Lyme Bay Moonrakers. She is also a founding member of Salt Weavers Folk Trio, focussing on songs of land and sea. This weekend, she’ll be playing folk songs from around the British Isles on her Celtic Harp. |
|
14.30 -15.00 |
About the Parkinson’s Brain Bank |
Rory Turkmen-Smith Rory is the Tissue Bank Engagement Manager at the Brain Bank, based at Imperial College London. The Bank provides a dedicated service which allows willing donors to donate their brain and spinal cord tissue to help advance research into both multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s. |
|
|
|
Rory’s role is to facilitate the collection of precious tissue from people with and without Parkinson's who have decided to leave their brains to Parkinson's research. Every year around 120 people donate their brain and spinal cord tissue to help advance research into MS and Parkinsons. These donations have already led to major advances in the understanding of Parkinson's, and resulted in new treatments being developed and tested. |
|
15.00 -15.30 |
Musical Interlude |
Olly Crowther |
|
|
|
Olly is a jazz saxophonist with nearly a decade of experience, known for blending expressive improvisation with modern music. He performs at weddings and events, bringing a fresh jazz-inspired twist to familiar songs. Alongside performing, Olly also offers saxophone lessons focused on creativity and improvisation. |
|
15.30 -16.00 |
What is Social Prescribing? |
Pauline Chart
Pauline is the senior social prescriber with the Jurassic Coast Primary Care Network Social Prescribing Team. She leads the team, working alongside GPs to provide non-clinical wellbeing and support to people over 18 years old living in West Dorset. Pauline and her colleagues focus on person-centred care, addressing each individual’s specific needs, helping them to access local services, groups and activities to improve health, wellbeing and quality of life. |
|
|
|
Social Prescribing gives people the opportunity to make connections in their local area for support, new activities or ways to help boost their wellbeing in a non-medical way. Patients are connected to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support while the Social Prescribers aim is to empower people to take control of their own health and signpost them to groups and services that allow them to do the things that they love. |
|
16:05 -16.35 |
About Parkinson’s UK |
Rob Davis |
|
|
|
Rob is a Senior Campaigner at Parkinson’s UK and is here with us in Lyme Regis to talk not only about his role as a campaigner but also to introduce his audience to Parkinson’s UK, the charity, and explain a little about its role in supporting people living with - or affected by - Parkinson’s. He will talk about what the charity does and provide an overview of its work; how it supports people affected by Parkinson's and the numerous research projects it leads. He will also explain how the charity works with the NHS and policy makers to ensure that people living with Parkinson's get fair access to services and benefits, and are not forgotten. He will also discuss his work as a Parkinson's UK campaigner. Campaigning activities play an important part in the work Parkinson’s UK does to achieve its goal of improving life for everyone a?ected by the condition. As well as being involved in local and regional campaigns here in the South West, Rob often finds himself working on national campaigns, working with NHS Trusts to improve services, councils to provide a fair and equitable service and elected o?cials to ensure the voices of our community are heard. |
|
17.00 |
CLOSE. SEE YOU TOMORROW AT 10.00 |
|
Sunday schedule
|
TIME |
DISCUSSION TOPIC |
PRESENTER |
|
10.30 - 11.00 |
The Power of Exercise |
Maria Lewis |
|
|
|
Maria Lewis is a physiotherapist specialising in Parkinson’s disease with 10 years’ experience working exclusively with people with Parkinson’s. She is co-founder of Reach Your Peak, a physiotherapy-led online exercise community dedicated to empowering people with Parkinson’s to live their best lives. As an educator and clinician, she is lead contributor to the CIMSPA accredited Pro Parkinson’s course, playing a key role in bridging the gap between theory and practice. She equips physiotherapists and healthcare professionals with the confidence and practical skills to use exercise as a powerful tool in treating people with Parkinson’s in their communities. She is also one of the founding members of Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network Exercise Hub, a network of over 600 healthcare and exercise professionals who together seek to champion physical activity and exercise for Parkinson’s. Maria is Vice Chair of the Welsh Board of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) which gives her the opportunity to ensure rehabilitation is always on the Government’s agenda. |
|
11.00 - 11.30 |
Musical Interlude |
Declan Duffy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11.30 -12.00 |
About the Parkinson’s Brain Bank |
Rory Turkmen-Smith Rory is the Tissue Bank Engagement Manager at the Brain Bank, based at Imperial College London. The Bank provides a dedicated service which allows willing donors to donate their brain and spinal cord tissue to help advance research into both multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s. |
|
|
|
Rory’s role is to facilitate the collection of precious tissue from people with and without Parkinson's who have decided to leave their brains to Parkinson's research. Every year around 120 people donate their brain and spinal cord tissue to help advance research into MS and Parkinsons. These donations have already led to major advances in the understanding of Parkinson's, and resulted in new treatments being developed and tested. |
|
12.00 -12.30 |
Musical Interlude |
Mark Foxhall |
|
|
|
Mark is one half of the Father and Daughter duo “Father has a Secret”. We join the pair today hot off their latest tour of Monkton Wylde, Thorncombe and more… Specialising in their very own blend of jazz funk and pop music, mixing jazz harmony and ethereal vocals, makes their sound easily recognisible on the local music scene, where daughter Ella is a very popular performer and proud Father, Mark, joins in to enjoy her style and talent! |
|
12.30 -13.00 |
A Consultant’s View |
James Richards |
|
|
|
Mr Richards has worked as a geriatrician at Dorset County Hospital (DCH) for ten years, and within the NHS since 2004. He loves working with older people, and also working as part of a multidisciplinary team – both within the Parkinson’s service and also as a geriatrician and stroke physician. He has seen difficulties at times with the management of people with Parkinson’s in hospital. For example, medications not being given on time and people staying in hospital longer than necessary, causing their bodies to become de-conditioned. He has also seen waiting lists for diagnosis and follow up being far too long. As a passionate participant in the delivery of Parkinson’s care, Mr Richards, alongside his colleagues at DCH, actively aims to address the challenges of working to improve these issues through education, and improvements in sta?ng and funding, alongside patient and family and / or carer involvement. He believes that the continuity and joint working practices associated with caring for people living with Parkinson’s, their Parkinson’s Nurse Specialists and other members of the Multi-disciplinary Team (including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, dieticians and representatives from Parkinson’s UK) are - and continue to be - fundamental to reducing issues such as those mentioned here and consolidating positive progress for the future. |
|
13.00 -13.15 |
Break |
|
|
13.15 -13.45 |
About Parkinson’s UK |
Rob Davis Rob is a Senior Campaigner at Parkinson’s UK and is here with us in Lyme Regis to talk not only about his role as a campaigner but also to introduce his audience to Parkinson’s UK, the charity, and explain a little about its role in supporting people living with - or affected by - Parkinson’s. He will talk about what the charity does and provide an overview of its work; how it supports people a?ected by Parkinson's and the numerous research projects it leads. He will also explain how the charity works with the NHS and policy makers to ensure that people living with Parkinson's get fair access to services and benefits, and are not forgotten. He will also discuss his work as a Parkinson's UK campaigner. Campaigning activities play an important part in the work Parkinson’s UK does to achieve its goal of improving life for everyone affected by the condition. As well as being involved in local and regional campaigns here in the South West, Rob often finds himself working on national campaigns, working with NHS Trusts to improve services, councils to provide a fair and equitable service and elected officials to ensure the voices of our community are heard. |
|
13.45 -14.15 |
Musical Interlude |
Olly Crowther |
|
|
|
Olly is a jazz saxophonist with nearly a decade of experience, known for blending expressive improvisation with modern music. He performs at weddings and events, bringing a fresh jazz-inspired twist to familiar songs. Alongside performing, Olly also offers saxophone lessons focused on creativity and improvisation. |
|
14.15 -14.45 |
Best Exercises for Parkinson’s |
Maria Lewis |
|
|
|
Maria Lewis is a physiotherapist specialising in Parkinson’s disease with 10 years’ experience working exclusively with people with Parkinson’s. She is co-founder of Reach Your Peak, a physiotherapy-led online exercise community dedicated to empowering people with Parkinson’s to live their best lives. As an educator and clinician, she is lead contributor to the CIMSPA accredited Pro Parkinson’s course, playing a key role in bridging the gap between theory and practice. She equips physiotherapists and healthcare professionals with the confidence and practical skills to use exercise as a powerful tool in treating people with Parkinson’s in their communities. She is also one of the founding members of Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network Exercise Hub, a network of over 600 healthcare and exercise professionals who together seek to champion physical activity and exercise for Parkinson’s. Maria is Vice Chair of the Welsh Board of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) which gives her the opportunity to ensure rehabilitation is always on the Government’s agenda. |
|
14.45 -15.15 |
Musical Interlude |
Mark Foxhall |
|
|
|
Mark is one half of the Father and Daughter duo “Father has a Secret”. We join the pair today hot off their latest tour of Monkton Wylde, Thorncombe and more… Specialising in their very own blend of jazz funk and pop music, mixing jazz harmony and ethereal vocals, makes their sound easily recognisible on the local music scene, where daughter Ella is a very popular performer and proud Father, Mark, joins in to enjoy her style and talent! |
|
15.15 -15.45 |
About the Parkinson’s Brain Bank |
Rory Turkmen-Smith Rory is the Tissue Bank Engagement Manager at the Brain Bank, based at Imperial College London. The Bank provides a dedicated service which allows willing donors to donate their brain and spinal cord tissue to help advance research into both multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s. |
|
|
|
Rory’s role is to facilitate the collection of precious tissue from people with and without Parkinson's who have decided to leave their brains to Parkinson's research. Every year around 120 people donate their brain and spinal cord tissue to help advance research into MS and Parkinsons. These donations have already led to major advances in the understanding of Parkinson's, and resulted in new treatments being developed and tested. |
|
15.45 - 16.00 |
Musical Interlude |
Olly Crowther |
|
|
|
Olly is a jazz saxophonist with nearly a decade of experience, known for blending expressive improvisation with modern music. He performs at weddings and events, bringing a fresh jazz-inspired twist to familiar songs. Alongside performing, Olly also o?ers saxophone lessons focused on creativity and improvisation. |
|
16.00 -16.30 |
A Consultant’s View |
James Richards |
|
|
|
Mr Richards has worked as a geriatrician at Dorset County Hospital (DCH) for ten years, and within the NHS since 2004. He loves working with older people, and also working as part of a multidisciplinary team – both within the Parkinson’s service and also as a geriatrician and stroke physician. He has seen difficulties at times with the management of people with Parkinson’s in hospital. For example, medications not being given on time and people staying in hospital longer than necessary, causing their bodies to become de-conditioned. He has also seen waiting lists for diagnosis and follow up being far too long. As a passionate participant in the delivery of Parkinson’s care, Mr Richards, alongside his colleagues at DCH, actively aims to address the challenges of working to improve these issues through education, and improvements in sta?ng and funding, alongside patient and family and / or carer involvement. He believes that the continuity and joint working practices associated with caring for people living with Parkinson’s, their Parkinson’s Nurse Specialists and other members of the Multi-disciplinary Team (including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, dieticians and representatives from Parkinson’s UK) are - and continue to be - fundamental to reducing issues such as those mentioned here and consolidating positive progress for the future. |
CLOSE - THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
Event location