BURLEY Dementia Action Group has won a National Dementia Friendly Award in the Dementia Friendly Community of the Year category.

The winners were announced at the prestigious awards ceremony that took place in London on Wednesday, November 29, where Alzheimer’s Society Ambassador Angela Rippon CBE hosted the ceremony.

Burley Dementia Action Group was one of three finalists in their category, sponsored by leading pharmacy and health and beauty retailer, Boots UK. This award recognises villages, towns, and cities leading the way in taking action to ensure that people living with dementia are included in their community.

Burley Dementia Action Group Burley Dementia Actions Group was formed in 2015 and has made considerable progress in their aim to reduce the stigma and increase understanding of dementia through awareness raising activities such as Dementia Friends sessions and work with community organisations.

Susan Collins, Secretary of the Burley- in-Wharfedale Dementia Action Group said: “We are delighted and it is a lovely surprise. Winning was an absolute an accolade for Burnley-in-Wharfedale. I think this will have a phenomenal impact as we are a small group and we do our quiet little thing increasing awareness of dementia and we try and make people understand that you can live well with dementia. We’ll keep going to make our village more dementia friendly. I think this will inspire people to be more energetic in their dementia friendly work.”

Dementia devastates lives. By 2021, one million people will be living with dementia. The Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friendly awards 2017 have been sponsored by British Gas. The awards unite communities and individuals across England and Wales to recognise, celebrate and promote the inspirational achievements of those making a real difference to people living with dementia.

Paul Smithson, Services Manager for Alzheimer’s Society in Bradford said: “It is excellent news that Burley Dementia Action Group has won the Dementia Friendly Community award and it is a testament to their tremendous dementia friendly work in our area. The level of nominations received this year was truly phenomenal and there were some exceptional stories heard at the awards ceremony. All the finalists and winners at the Dementia Friendly Awards have demonstrated how we can unite against dementia and support those affected by the condition.”

This year there were 13 awards across 10 categories, with awards for Dementia Friendly Organisation, Community, Partnership, Dementia Friends Champion, Innovation, Young person’s contribution, Journalist and Inspiring Individual, as well as a brand new category to celebrate individual and group fundraiser of the year. Details of the awards, including a full list of winners for the different categories, can be found online at alzheimers.org.uk/dementiafriendlyawards.