MEMBERS of a rotary club have signed up to become Dementia Friends.

Seventeen rotarians from the Rotary Club of Astley joined the social movement to help change thousands of lives when they took part in an information session to become Dementia Friends.

The group attended a free one-hour session at The Greyhound Hotel in Leigh run by local Dementia Friends Champion and rotarian Mike Hall.

Mr Hall said: “This evening’s Dementia Friends session was fantastic and the feedback from participants was really positive.

“It gives me such satisfaction to speak to people about dementia and how it affects people’s everyday lives.”

The scheme was launched in February last year to help members of the public understand what it might be like to live with dementia and turn that understanding into action.

Mr Hall signed up to be a champion earlier this year and attended a one day training course on how to deliver the sessions.

“I signed up to be a Dementia Friends Champion because I am passionate about Dementia Care and improving people’s understanding about Dementia,” Mr Hall continued.

“I’m so proud to be part of a growing network of people helping to create dementia friendly communities across England.”

The 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 670,000 people currently living with the condition.

Just over 890,000 people have become Dementia Friends since February last year.

A spokesman for the Alzheimer’s Society said: “Dementia Friends isn’t about creating experts, it’s about helping people understand a little bit more about what it’s like to live with the condition and then turn that understanding into action - anyone of any age can be a Dementia Friend.”

To find out more, visit dementiafriends.org.