Housing and support organisation, Curo, encouraged local people to join the fight against dementia at a special event being held at the Curo Memory Café in Peasedown St John last Thursday.

At the event, Curo signed up to the national Join Dementia Research campaign, which is asking people to take part in vital research into Alzheimer’s Disease and other types of dementia.

Peta Rahmatalla, Curo Dementia Challenge Rural Coordinator, said: “Over 2,600 people in Bath and North East Somerset have dementia today and nationally, it’s predicted that the number of people affected could double over the next thirty years. Research is the key to understanding the causes and developing better treatments and care.

“We hope that by adding our support to this important campaign, we can encourage local people to see how they could help by taking part in research.”

Charlotte Procter, Project Officer for Join Dementia Research, was at the event, explaining how people and organisations can contribute. She says: “Join Dementia Research is a new NHS service which allows anyone over the age of eighteen, with or without dementia, to register their interest in research. We need more people to come forward to get involved in vital studies.

“Getting involved is easy. Once an individual has registered, they may be matched to research studies that they might like to take part in. There are various different types of studies such as nutrition, lifestyle, genetics and medication studies. Taking part in research is voluntary and if a person registers, they are under no obligation to take part.”

Anyone who would like to know more can visit: www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk or phone: 0300 2221122. Curo’s Memory Café meets at the community room at 93 Hillcrest, Peasedown St John BA2 8JR on the last Thursday of every month between 10.30 a.m. and noon. The café is free for anyone, whether they have memory problems themselves or are caring for someone else.

The monthly Memory Café is part of Curo’s rural dementia service which provides practical and emotional support. The service is supported by the national Dementia Challenge Fund. For details about Curo’s Memory Café, or to speak to someone about getting support to live independently, call: 01225 366196 or visit www.curo-group.co.uk/care-and-support