Businesses, organisations and community groups in Peasedown St John are being asked to 'make a pledge for dementia'.

Since its launch in 2019, the 'Dementia Friendly Peasedown' initiative has attracted support from across the community.

More than 150 residents have taken part in a dementia awareness workshop organised by the project.

Gavin Heathcote, Chairman of the Peasedown Community Trust, which coordinates the initiative, said:

"The response from the community has been phenomenal. With dementia on the rise, local organisations are recognising that more needs to be done to ensure their premises is dementia-friendly, and their staff know how to support someone living with dementia.

Around 150 people have now attended Dementia Friends training sessions in Peasedown, and we're keen for that number to rise over the next 12 months."

The Peasedown project is looking for volunteers to help with a number of tasks, which include:

Visiting businesses to ensure their properties are dementia-friendly

Organising events, such as singing activities and Memory Cafes

Attending one of the Dementia Friend workshops, organised by the Trust.

Peasedown Councillor, Karen Walker (Independent), who is herself a Dementia Friend, said: "There are currently no 'dementia-friendly' communities across Bath & North East Somerset. With all the work being done here in Peasedown, our village could be the first in the district to achieve the accolade. This would be huge for Peasedown, and so any businesses that join the initiative would really be making a difference." Business leaders, faith groups and community associations are being invited to arrange for the Dementia Friendly Peasedown Team to visit their premises to run a workshop. For more details, contact the Peasedown Community Trust by emailing [email protected] There are 850,000 people with dementia in the UK, with numbers set to rise to over 1 million by 2025. This will soar to 2 million by 2051.

225,000 will develop dementia this year, that's one every three minutes.

1 in 6 people over the age of 80 have dementia.

70 per cent of people in care homes have dementia or severe memory problems.

There are over 40,000 people under 65 with dementia in the UK.

More than 25,000 people from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in the UK are affected.

The 'Make a Pledge for Dementia' initiative is being funded by Cllr Sarah Bevan (Independent) through her Ward Councillor's Empowerment Fund.