Karen Rose started suffering symptoms of Parkinson's when she was 34 but was eventually diagnosed with the neurological condition five years later.

She is a representative for younger people with Parkinson's and organises fundraising events in the hope that a cure will eventually be discovered, and is now planning to sign up to be a brain donor.

The 46-year-old mum of two said that her condition is "variable" and that sometimes when she wakes up in the morning she cannot move and needs to wait for the medication to take effect.

Other times she suffers involuntary movements that can be embarrassing for her.

On Friday, she is holding a 60s and 70s evening at Cleve Rugby Club for the cause.

Mrs Rose, of Wiltshire Avenue, Yate, said: "I get good times and bad times and there are times when I can't move at all. Sometimes it is like walking through treacle as if my feet are stuck to the floor and I have to crawl.

"I don't think an actual cure will be found in my lifetime. What I'm hoping they will find is a better way of managing it, whether it is medication or some sort of operation to keep things under control, that is my hope.

"They are getting there and that is why we have got to keep raising money, to keep the research going."