The Eric Liddell Community held their Dinner for Dementia earlier in the week, which HRH the Princess Royal attended at the Caledonian Hotel.
The evening featured a keynote speech from Dr Claire Durrant who is the Race Against Dementia Dyson Fellow, Emerging Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute and Senior Lecturer at the Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research, the University of Edinburgh.
Dr Durrant provided expert insight into current global dementia research and emphasised the critical importance of pairing scientific innovation with compassionate, community led care. She said: “Dementia is one of the greatest health and social challenges of our time and it is vital that scientific research and community based support work hand in hand. Events like the Dinner for Dementia create an important space for people to share experiences and raise awareness of the impact of dementia. I was delighted to be part of an evening that brings the community together.”
The Eric Liddell Community’s Royal Patron, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, had the opportunity to meet the charity’s dedicated staff, volunteers, carers, and those living with dementia who benefit so greatly from the charity’s services during her visit in April 2025.
The charity demonstrates the importance of having a welcoming place within the community, where one is greeted with kindness, a friendly smile, and genuine warmth, and how this can make an immeasurable difference to the lives of those who visit The Eric Liddell Community. Places like this are at the heart of our communities.
John MacMillan, MBE, CEO of The Eric Liddell Community, said: “We were deeply honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness to this year’s Dinner for Dementia. Her presence reinforced not only the significance of our work but the urgency of the growing dementia challenge in Scotland. The evening highlighted the power of collaboration and the vital difference that community led support can make to thousands of families every year. We were also delighted to have Dr Durrant speaking at the event. Dr Durrant’s input provided a unique insight into her world renowned research linked to finding a cure for dementia.”
The Eric Liddell Community is based at Holy Corner in Edinburgh and is a charity providing specialist dementia care. The charity works to preserve the legacy of Olympic athlete, Eric Liddell, after whom the organisation takes its name.
