PROFESSIONALS, charity leaders and local councillors gathered with members of the public to host the second annual regional dementia awareness conference in Peasedown St John.

Taking place on May 20 at St John’s Church, the conference featured keynote speakers, information stalls, networking and an opportunity to meet charity leaders and experts working in the field of dementia research and awareness.

A range of organisations were also present for delegates to meet, including Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society and Peasedown Community Trust.

The conference was completely free for anyone who wanted to attend as a result of sponsorship provided by law firm Stone King.

Cllr Karen Walker (Independent, Peasedown), chairwoman of Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “We were thrilled to host this conference in Peasedown St John.

“Every three minutes, someone in the UK will develop dementia. With dementia on the rise, communities across the country are making a stand, and Peasedown St John is no different.

“Since 2019, more than 300 residents have attended one of the Peasedown Community Trust’s dementia awareness workshops. They have been instrumental in raising the profile of the work we’re doing in the village – which we were able to showcase at this special regional conference last Tuesday.”

Cllr Gavin Heathcote (Independent, Peasedown) added: “We were delighted to have Stone King’s support for this year’s conference. It meant a lot to us and our work to create a dementia friendly community in Peasedown St John.

“There are currently 900,000 people in the UK living with dementia, and that figure is set to rise to 2 million by 2050.

“One in four people will be affected by dementia in their lifetimes, especially those diagnosed with clinical anxiety in middle age, which is why it’s important to work with individuals and their families to try and make life much easier for those who have it.”