EAST Hampshire MP Damian Hinds has welcomed a dementia initiative in Bordon next month.

The Forest Community Centre will host an event to draw attention to the needs of those living with dementia; to provide guidance for affected individuals, their families and carers, and to raise funds for Dementia UK.

Organiser Michael Rutland invited residents to attend to find out more about the condition and the help that is available.

The event will take place in room five at the Forest Community Centre on Friday, March 3, from 10.30am to noon.

Mr Hinds, an ambassador for the Dementia UK charity, has expressed his backing for the day.

“Supporting dementia charities is vitally important and I’m delighted that the Forest Community Centre is hosting a coffee morning to help raise funds for Dementia UK,” he said.

“There is good work being done by many charitable organisations in this field, which makes a real difference for people living with dementia, and I hope this event continues to put a spotlight on their needs and the ways in which we can all help.”

The MP has pledged to take action to support the 800,000 people living with dementia across the UK.

He recently joined 200 other MPs in Westminster to provide a statement on the action they will take to support people with dementia and their carers, saying: “One in three people over 65 will develop dementia, and it is a health issue that we can no longer afford to ignore. As people in Britain are living longer than generations past, we must do what we can to ensure that society is equipped with the skills to help those who suffer from dementia and minimise their discomfort.”

Andrew Tremlett, who has developed a reminiscence therapy called Rolling Back The Years, will also be at the event.

The therapy provides a talking point between relatives, carers, friends and the person with dementia. It consists of folders dedicated to particular decades, from the 1930s to the 1980s. Visitors can peruse those most pertinent to their needs and experiences.

Another key activist in tackling the consequences of the condition is Alton resident Terry Eccott, who will give details of his own experiences.

Mr Eccott is a regular speaker and fundraiser for dementia charities, having spoken twice on the subject of living with dementia in the House of Commons, at the Carols by Candlelight concert at Romsey Abbey in December and at numerous other venues countrywide.

For more details, call Michael Rutland on 01420 488978 or e-mail [email protected].