MORE than 100 individuals and community groups attended an event to mark the launch of South Gloucestershire becoming 'dementia friendly'.

South Gloucestershire Dementia Action Alliance, which will support communities and organisations in becoming dementia friendly, launched the project at Coniston Community Centre in Patchway on Monday, January 12.

Over 100 individuals from charitable organisations and businesses attended the event to support the project.

The alliance is a Southern Brooks Community Partnership project in collaboration with Alzheimer’s Society, NHS South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and South Gloucestershire Council.

Paul Frisby, partnership manager at South Gloucestershire CCG, the GP-led body responsible for planning and buying healthcare for the local population, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with how many people have come along to the launch today to show their support in making the whole of South Gloucestershire a dementia-friendly community.

“Following a successful pilot in Patchway, which saw the town become the first dementia-friendly community in South Gloucestershire, work to support communities and organisations across the whole of South Gloucestershire become dementia-friendly has been commissioned.”

Community development worker for Southern Brooks Community Partnership, Eleanor Fairbrother, who is leading the project, said: “We have launched the Dementia Action Alliance because we want to get everyone to talk about dementia to reduce stigma and stop people becoming isolated unnecessarily."

In South Gloucestershire, it is estimated there are more than 3,000 people with dementia.

Amanda Deeks, chief executive of South Gloucestershire Council, said “The South Gloucestershire Dementia Action Alliance is working towards making our region a place where people with dementia and their carers are understood, respected and supported.

“We aim to enable people with dementia to feel included and involved in our communities, and importantly to have choice and control over their day to day lives. To help achieve this, our librarians in South Gloucestershire libraries have recently received training to be dementia friends, as have many council staff within a variety of service areas.”

Dr Peter Bagshaw, clinical lead for dementia at South Gloucestershire CCG, said: “One in three people over the age of 65 will develop dementia, a very high proportion. But people with dementia can live well, and it is the responsibility of the rest of the community to help them do so.”

For further details about South Gloucestershire CCG, visit www.southgloucestershireccg.nhs.uk.