Jo Brand joins celebrities backing dementia awareness campaign

Comedian and ex-mental health nurse Jo Brand is among a host of well-known names backing a new dementia awareness campaign.

The Alzheimer's Society's United Against Dementia campaign is being also being supported by celebrities and sports stars including Meera Syal, Carey Mulligan, Robbie Savage and James Cracknell.

The initiative calls on the public to set aside their differences – from age and social standing to political allegiances – and unite in the fight against dementia.

It will be launched by a TV advertisement narrated by actor Bill Nighy, which will air on ITV1 and Channel 4 at 8.55pm tonight (Monday 24 April). 

Opposing views

The advert, directed by Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated Daniel Barber, plays on issues that can cause divisions in society including age, gender identity and whether people voted in or out in the recent European Union referendum. It shows opposing pairs coming together to unite against dementia.

It is estimated that one person every three minutes develops dementia in the UK, and there is currently no cure.

More than 40,000 people in the UK under 65 are affected by the condition.

Only 22% of people in the UK know that dementia is a condition that results in death, while 28% wrongly believe there is a cure, research by Alzheimer's Society and Ipsos Mori has found.

'Deeply worrying'

Ms Brand, an Alzheimer's Society ambassador, said: 'It's deeply worrying that every three minutes someone develops this devastating condition.

'What's almost as worrying is that despite not being able to prevent it, cure it or even slow it down, the funding of dementia research is far too low.

'We need everyone to unite against dementia and change this now.'

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