I want to thank the Chairperson, Douglas Langford, for honouring me with the opportunity to speak to you tonight; and also to Douglas Webb who has been keeping the evening flowing as the Master of Ceremonies.

Former American President, Abraham Lincoln, once said, and I quote, "in the e; nd, it's not the years in your life that counts - it's the life in your years".

Tonight is our time to celebrate, to remember, to share memories and to marvel at the life packed into the years spent at the Marsden Club and subsequently the Chelsea Club.

It is the time to recognise the difference these organisations have made to the quality of life for those who suffer with Alzheimers and other neurological related diseases.

There is a photo towards the end of the book of Marjorie Orchiston which I think sums up its remarkable story.   Marjorie, the text tells us, has made a substantial difference to the lives of others, through the magic of music, the power of singing and dancing.  

The photo provides the most amazing testimony to life at the Marsden and Chelsea clubs.   Marjorie is grinning wider than the proverbial Cheshire cat- she exudes enthusiasm.  You know just by looking at her that being at the club was simply a Great Way to Spend a Day.

That powerful sense of joy is all embracing - and it is a joy that is lapped up by those of our friends and families with memory loss from Alzheimers and other disorders.

Such a positive attitude was a huge contrast to the way in which people with Alzheimers were treated even as recently as twenty five years ago.

The book documents the differences of then and now - revealing that many people were being placed in institutions long before they needed full nursing care.

In those times, Alzheimers was not considered a major disease or disorder - indeed it was rarely known.   This fact is all the more remarkable in the knowledge that last year over 12,000 people were newly diagnosed.

With the disease so unheard of, there was little in the way of information or support to give relief to caregivers while also providing a caring and supportive environment for people with dementia.

As is the case with people in the early stages, often the person would be physically fit, with energy to burn, and the open door policy of many rest-homes meant they could just walk out the door and wander for hours before being discovered missing.

Whanau and families caring for their loved ones were often stretched beyond the capacity to cope, with very few services available to help people with dementia live in the community.

In the early 1980s then, Hilary Peterson marched right into the midst of this haze, motivated by the situation facing their family, as they tried to find someone to help in the care of her mother-in-law, Ruth Peterson, who had Alzheimers Disease.

Hilary had heard of the work that Judith Robinson (now we know her as Judith Skinner) was doing in helping people in need of care, and so she decided the two must meet.

And so began two of the very first independent day care facilities one based in the old Baptist Church manse in Karori; another in Miramar.

I want to make particular mention of Hilary's legacy - and to acknowledge also her husband, Richard, the children and grandchildren for the support you provided in enabling Hilary every opportunity to devote close to two decades of selfless commitment to this work.

While she is now no longer with us, her influence and her passion will be forever felt in the crucial role she played in helping to increase public understanding and awareness of Alzheimers.

The Marsden and Chelsea clubs started from a very basic premise - that the quality of life for people with dementia would be enhanced if they could stay in their own homes while also having the benefit of a stimulating day care environment to attend. 

The thinking was to create an environment that was homely and as far removed from sterile institutions as possible.

In this simple goal, these centres were in effect pioneering a new way to provide respite care for those with Alzheimers and other diseases.   In fact it may well be that what Judith and Hilary started 25 years ago has indeed set the precedent for other models throughout Aotearoa.

But there are wider benefits that can be traced back to the early days of the Marsden and Chelsea clubs.  

Denial of dementia is extremely common, yet early diagnosis is a vital means of enabling people to have a much larger degree of control over their future.  

The importance of the Marsden and Chelsea Day Care Trust Board has been that in promoting understanding and awareness, it can make a very significant difference in managing the physical, emotional and financial stresses that dementia can cause.

There is another feature of this history which I think is worthwhile us all remembering.

The writer, Diana Beaglehole, has done a splendid job in the accurate recording of vital data while at the same time staying true to a sense of the spirit of the place.

And so we learn that the Marsden Club started off with a humble grant for $2500 from the Lottery Board which meant they were able to purchase some comfortable chairs and a fridge.   But money was not the object.

There was no specific government assistance at the time - and indeed, very little knowledge of what the true impacts of Alzheimers are.   And yet last year, Alzheimers New Zealand's 2008 Dementia Economic Impact Report calculated the cost of the disease at a massive $712 million.

It all goes to show that happened 25 years ago was even more incredible - and a wonderful tribute to the perseverance and commitment of all who worked so hard to serve their community.    On next to nothing, premises were purchased, upgraded and furnished; daily programmes were run, support groups established, and social services arranged.

Notwithstanding limited resources, in 1986 the Marsden Club took members on a daytrip to Picton, to the Wellington Arts Festival, the circus, the ballet, a Michael Houston concert, the Southward car museum - while being open for four days a week.  

It is this emphasis on meeting the aspirations of disabled people that really was ahead of its time - and to this day, is still a classic feature of these clubs.

I want to really thank everyone involved in this important history, for your vision and your determination to make sure the precedent established by these clubs is now recorded for posterity.

The book tells the story of a brilliant cast of day care managers;  office managers, trustees; accountants; chairpersons; and of course the members itself - all too many to mention, but collectively creating a proud history of service to others.

The stories recorded over the last 25 years provide every indication we need, that the Marsden and Chelsea Clubs truly live up to the title of this book.

I am extremely pleased to launch a history of the Marsden and Chelsea clubs, A great place to spend the day.