THE pound coins have been rolling in for our Donate £1 for Dementia campaign.

After just one week health chiefs at the Royal Bolton have hailed the impact of our drive to raise £200,000 for dementia friendly facilities at the hospital.

Charitable fundraiser Andy Lee said: "The reaction so far to the campaign has been overwhelmingly positive.

"Everyone has been telling us their stories and been saying what a massive difference having this dementia friendly environment at the hospital will make.

"The campaign has really struck a chord with a lot of people.

"Almost everyone is touched by dementia in one way or another. Everyone knows someone who is affected by it.

"The campaign has made people realise how much of a difference we can make."

The appeal will pay for wards at the Royal Bolton Hospital to be made more "dementia friendly".

When someone with dementia visits a hospital’s medical or surgical wards they are there to be treated for their condition — whether a hip injury or a chest infection — not for their dementia.

As medical awareness has increased, there is now far more understanding of the importance of making a dementia sufferer’s environment more comforting, familiar and easy to use.

Your £1 will provide those added extras; things NHS funding will not cover, but which will make a hospital stay a far better experience for patients with dementia.

Mr Lee has been inundated with people wanting to take 'selfies' with the giant £1 coin.

He added: "The reaction to the coin has been fantastic. No one realises quite how big it is until they see it.

"We had a great reaction at Horwich carnival. everyone was stopping to donate and to take selfies."

And even Emmerdale star Anthony Quinlan — who was a guest at the carnival — stopped to chat with Mr Lee about dementia and donated to the campaign.

Hospital bosses are now busy totting up donations for the first week and hope to have a total in the coming days.

And Mr Lee is set to target Bolton businesses with the fundraising drive.

If you would like a visit from the giant £1 coin — so staff can take selfies with the coin and donate to the campaign — contact andy.lee@boltonft.nhs.uk