AWP takes Join Dementia Research on tour

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership’s (AWP) research and development (R&D) team are hitting the road in December to get 1,000 Join Dementia Research volunteers signed up by Christmas.

Join Dementia Research is a new service that allows anyone over 18 with or without a diagnosis of dementia, to register their interest in national dementia research and be matched to a huge range of research activities they might wish to take part in. Vital studies into early diagnosis, prevention and new treatments for dementia are making progress but more volunteers are needed to ensure this continues.

The bus will be staffed by AWP’s R&D team and staff from 2gether, Gloucestershire’s mental health trust. They will be talking to people about Join Dementia Research, handing out leaflets and encouraging people to sign-up. There will also be fun activities plus balloons, cakes, mince pies and children’s games.

Look out for them between 10am-3pm on:

• Stroud: King Street
  Monday 7 December
• Weston-Super-Mare: seafront pier
  Tuesday 8 December
• Swindon: orbital Asda
  Thursday 10 December
• Bristol: Callington Road Tesco
  Friday 11 December

Julian Walker Director of R&D said: “When people are given a dementia diagnosis by their GP, they can be left wondering what to do next. Often, people want information about their diagnosis and the research studies that may be available to them. Our aim is to spread the word about Join Dementia Research so that everyone gets the chance to know what dementia research is available.”

Over 850,000 people are living with dementia in the UK today. Many of us know someone who has, or is affected by dementia and would like to do more to help fight this disease. Research is crucial as it looks at what new treatments work and how to improve the lives of people affected by dementia.

Join Dementia Research is supported by the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK. It helps people with dementia, their carers or anyone interested in dementia research. This tour, the first of its kind, is a collaboration between AWP, the local Clinical Research Network, Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, local councils and supermarkets.

Find out more about Join Dementia Research and how you can register.