Local MP Grant Shapps, has re-committed himself to continue raising awareness for the Alzheimer Society.
Whilst visiting the ‘pop-up’ display at the Welwyn Garden City Fountain, Grant wrote an ‘action’ pledge.
Promising to “raise awareness of how to become a dementia friend” and then attaching it to one of the hundreds of crochet Forget-Me-Not flowers, Mr Shapps joined hundreds of other residents who had made their pledges throughout the week.
The MP said, “It’s great to be able to commit myself once again to supporting those with Alzheimer.
“It is brilliant to also see so many people making pledges here in Welwyn Garden City, promising to help raise awareness. I hope that people across Hertfordshire will go online and learn more about how to support people with Alzheimer’s.”
Mr Shapps, who became an Alzheimer friend whilst a member of David Cameron’s Cabinet, also spoke to local passers by about why he chose to become one back in 2013.
Rosemary Brotchie, Regional Public Affairs and Campaigns Officer said,
“There are 1,315 people living with dementia in the Welwyn Hatfield constituency and there are 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. This national number is set to rise to one million by 2021 and dementia is now the UK’s biggest killer, with someone developing it every three minutes.
“Dementia can devastate lives and too many are facing the condition alone without adequate support and we want everyone affected by dementia to know that whoever they are, whatever they are going through, they can turn to Alzheimer’s Society for support, help and advice.
“It’s great to see Grant showing his support for Alzheimer’s Society during Dementia Action Week 2019 and we hope the community will follow his lead in becoming Dementia Friends.”
The display has seen hundreds of people from across the county knit and crochet small flowers which have been stitched together to create several large displays.
The ‘Forget-Me-Not’ flowers display covering the fountain is part of a series of displays across Hertfordshire. The aim of the display was to raise awareness for Dementia Action Week.
