REDDITCH MP Karen Lumley, along with Prime Minister David Cameron and Parliamentary colleagues, recently showed her support for a trailblazing initiative that aims to help people understand what it might be like to live with dementia

Dementia Friends was launched in February 2013 by the Alzheimer's Society.

Alzheimer's Society is aiming to have one million Dementia Friends by 2015, to help make England more dementia-friendly and improve the lives of the 650,000 people currently living with the condition in the country.

Earlier in the year Mrs Lumley herself signed up to be a Dementia Friend and was one of 30 MPs and Peers who took part in a number of exercises aimed at helping participants understand the effect of dementia on people's everyday lives.

Speaking about Dementia Friends The MP said: "I was pleased to have been able to show my support for Dementia Friends and am encouraging people in Redditch to do the same. "With a growing number of people living with dementia, it's more important than ever that we all have a better understanding of the condition.

"Dementia Friends is about giving people an understanding of dementia and the small things they can do that can make a difference to people living with this condition. From helping someone find the right bus to spreading the word about dementia, it can help make our local community a better place to live."

Commenting on Dementia Friends during Prime Ministers Questions, the PM said: “It is about investing in research and science, where we have doubled the budget for dementia.

"It is about dementia-friendly communities and also making sure that our hospitals and care homes treat people with dementia better. We will carry forward all those.”

For more information, visit dementiafriends.org.uk.