A POP-UP cafe to support Parkinson’s Disease sufferers and their carers has been described as ‘wonderful’ by visitors.

Parkinson’s UK’s Burnley Support Group was awarded a £4,000 grant from East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group to introduce a new way of helping those with the disease.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The cafe sessions will take place every two weeks at the Victoria Park Pavilion in Carr Road, Nelson, until the end of March 2017.

Lynn Jackson, 56, visited the first cafe last week with her husband, Peter, 58, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s four years ago.

Mrs Jackson said: “It was absolutely fantastic, we were treated incredibly well by all the staff who were in there.

“It was wonderful, they didn’t stop giving us cups of tea.

“I thought it was beneficial for Peter and I to talk to other people who suffered from the disease.

“We share similar problems and we bounced ideas off each other. For example Peter wears knee pads as he can fall over often and another person said they would try that because they suffer with the same problem.

“I would tell everyone to go, I told the staff I would see them at the next one.”

Parkinson’s Disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in the brain which leads to a reduction of regulating movement of the body.

Rebecca Ward-Dooley, area development manager for Lancashire and Greater Manchester at Parkinson’s UK, said: “This new venture is open to everyone affected by it across East Lancashire.

“It offers an opportunity to meet others in a similar situation, get advice on how to look after yourself and manage your condition while enjoying a lovely setting and free cake.

“It’s an informal drop-in so people can just turn up.”

The next session will take place at the Carr Road site on Friday, November 11, and will be held from 11am and 1pm.

Call 0300 1233672 or email rward-dooley@parkinsons.org.uk to find out more information and support.