It’s great news that 2 million people across the UK are now Dementia Friends.

The Dementia Friends initiative was launched by the Alzheimer’s Society in 2013 with the aim of encouraging individuals and organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to change the way they think, act and talk about dementia. The scheme is the biggest ever in its field, and the Alzheimer’s Society have even described Dementia Friends as one of the UK’s largest ever social movements, with 1 in every 30 people in Wales, England and Northern Ireland involved.

I’m very proud to have a Dementia Friendly office, and after an induction session from the Alzheimer’s Society my staff and I felt we’d gained a better understanding of the challenges that people living with dementia experience on a daily basis.

While it’s really encouraging that the programme has taken off in such a big way, there is still much more to do, and as a society we need to redouble our efforts to tackle the stigma and lack of understanding around dementia which means that many people with the condition can face loneliness and social exclusion.

For more information on becoming a Dementia Friend visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk