Up to £5,000 is being offered to groups in Suffolk who want to make their communities dementia-friendly.

The Alzheimer’s Society-created programme aims to improve inclusion and the quality of life for people living with dementia.

This includes establishing dementia-friendly communities in which people with dementia feel confident knowing they can contribute and participate in meaningful activities.

To aid the campaign, public health and adult and community services last month launched a new fund to support communities to become dementia-friendly.

The fund will be administered by Suffolk Community Foundation with applications invited for up to £5,000.

This will be for communities to form a local alliance while a smaller £1,000 sum can be applied for to deliver greater awareness and understanding of dementia.

Tracey Loynds is part of the Hadleigh Dementia Action Alliance (HDAA); the town was the first in Suffolk to be recognised as working to become dementia-friendly.

Mrs Loynds said: “I think it is a fantastic fund.

“Hadleigh and Sudbury would, if we are successful, use the money to create toolboxes for each area of our action plan to drive our plan forward much faster.”

Mrs Loynds added she hoped the fund would prove to be a stepping stone for others starting their own groups to overcome any initial hurdles.

“I think what the money does is give people an opportunity to trial some activities or sessions to get volunteers trained to have an understanding of people with dementia and the support their carers need.”

Another use for the money could be to buy pop-up banners showing the groups are part of the programme.

Mrs Loynds said when the HDAA did this it resulted in more people coming to talk to them when out promoting the alliance.

“For us that’s been really, really useful,” she said.

Mrs Loynds also said there was definitely a demand for the funding and knew of several groups assisted by the HDAA which would be grateful for the money on offer.

To apply for the money groups need to visit www.suffolkcf.org.uk, the Suffolk Community Foundation website.