Make your memories matter

But what you struggle to recall may be influenced by your gender or age:

• Topping the poll, a third of women admit to having difficultly remembering where they've put things whilst 30 per cent of men struggle to remember people's names
• At 42 per cent, 16 - 24 year olds have the most difficulty remembering where they put things, compared to just 23 per cent of people over 65
• Single people have more trouble remembering dates and anniversaries than their married counterparts

Memory master offers tips and advice on improving your memory

World No1 Memory Master, Ben Pridmore, has signed up to support the campaign and offer all budding memory champions out there top tips on improving their memory. Experts from the Alzheimer's Society are also on hand to talk about memory matters, why they have launched this new campaign and how important it is that we all start thinking about our memory.

Million Memories is a new website launched today by the Alzheimer's Society. It aims to celebrate the importance of memory by creating the biggest online store of people' s memories whilst raising awareness of memory loss.

Celebrities have already started to donate their most precious memory to the campaign, including Jo Brand, Lynda Bellingham, Sally Lindsay and Graham Norton.

Ben Pridmore, memory master and former world memory champion, says,

'Your memory is a marvellous tool. If you want to improve your memory then a top tip is to think in pictures, your brain processes pictures more easily than words. It is hard to imagine how devastating it must be to be affected by a disease like Alzheimer's, which robs people of their memories. That's why I am supporting the Million Memories campaign and telling people memories do matter.'

Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, says,

'Memories are a gift we too often take for granted. The Million Memories campaign is a simple way to make your memories matter: by donating your favourite memory online, and sharing it with your friends and family, you will be helping people with dementia.

Our survey shows that memory lapses happen to everyone from time to time, but if your forgetfulness is getting worse or is starting to affect your everyday life it is best to get it checked out.'

The Million Memories website is being launched for World Alzheimer's Day (Thursday 21 September).

Visit http://www.millionmemories.org.uk/

For more information, contact Gayle Wing, Alzheimer's Society press office.

Notes for editors

• TNS Phonebus survey of 1012 British Adults 16+. Full results available on request
• A Million Memories is sponsored by PhotoBox and Woman's Weekly magazine.
• Photobox (http://www.photobox.co.uk/) is the UK's no. 1 online destination for storing, sharing and printing for digital photographs. 
• The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers.
• Over 750,000 people in the UK have dementia. More than half have Alzheimer's disease.
• Dementia affects one in 20 people over the age of 65 and one in five over the age of 80.There are 18,500 people in the UK under the age of 65 with dementia.
• For information and advice on Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia call the Alzheimer's Society national helpline on 0845 300 0336.
• World No1 Memory Master, Ben Pridmore is available for interviews.