BARNSLEY Independent Alzheimer's Support service is facing a funding crisis after losing a vital contract with the council.

BIADS's chief officer, Linda Pattison, says come September there is a question mark over what dementia support services it can provide and what it can continue to do in future.

It follows the charity losing a £40,000 contract with Barnsley Council to provide a dementia befriending service for the borough. It also lost a dementia support service contract.

Linda said procurement procedure means the council has to put out bids to the open market and as a result the contract has been awarded to another organisation.

Dementia champions Graham and Lesley Wilmot, whose son Gareth, 39, was diagnosed with the condition three years ago, says the news is a blow for dementia sufferers across the town.

** The full story is in the Barnsley Chronicle newspaper, dated April 17. **