A woman and man sit on a garden bench smiling, wearing Alzheimer's Society Forget Me Not badges

What do the different badges for dementia mean?

Following some confusion over what different blue flower badges represent, here we tackle some common myths about their meaning, who can wear blue flower badges and why.

What does the blue flower badge represent?

The flower is a forget-me-not, a small blue flower that represents remembrance and is long-associated with dementia.

People with dementia may experience memory loss, among other symptoms. This makes the forget-me-not the perfect flower to represent our cause.

The blue flower pin is a symbol for anyone who wants to raise awareness of dementia and support people affected by the condition.

An example of an Alzheimer's Society Forget Me Not mental pin badge

Alzheimer's Society forget-me-not flower pin badges are available in our shop. 100 per cent of our shop profits go towards helping fight dementia.

Why do people wear a forget-me-not pin badge?

Anyone can wear our blue forget-me-not pin badge to show their support for Alzheimer’s Society. Many organisations have flowers, ribbons and other symbols to represent their charity.

A person might wear a forget-me-not badge because a family member or loved one has dementia, or they want to help raise awareness.

It’s best not to make assumptions about why someone might be wearing the pin.

What is the Forget me not Appeal badge?

In 2021, Alzheimer's Society launched the Forget me not Appeal.

This is an annual initiative that encourages people to wear a forget-me-not flower badge for the month of May to raise awareness and vital funds for people affected by dementia.

Forget me not Appeal badge in blue

In May, we ask everyone to join together and support the Forget me not Appeal to raise awareness and money for everyone living with dementia.

Wearing the Forget me not Appeal badge does not mean the wearer has dementia. Supporters of the Forget me not Appeal wear their badge not only to promote awareness of dementia but also in memory of or in tribute to a loved one affected by the condition.

Donate online to the Forget me not Appeal and receive a badge in the post (while stocks last).

If you have any questions about your donation or Forget me not Appeal badge, please call our Supporter Care line on 0330 333 0804.

Is it true that wearing a forget-me-not pin badge means you have dementia?

No, that is not true.

The forget-me-not badge is for anyone to wear to show their support for people affected dementia. 

It is a common misconception that the badges are to help identify people living with dementia in public.

If someone is misinformed, it might be helpful to make them aware of this.

People living with dementia can sometimes face stigma and exploitation, which may put them at risk when out in public. If there’s the misconception that only people with dementia wear this badge, this could increase the risk of making them vulnerable.

If a person with dementia wants a discreet way to let others know about their diagnosis while out and about, we have free helpcards available. 

Helpcards are an easy way for people with dementia to get help or assistance when out in the community. Personal information can also be added to them, so that people with dementia can get help in the best way for them, and only from people they feel safe around.

What does the Dementia Friend badge mean?

Dementia Friends is a social movement committed to changing how people see dementia. 

A Dementia Friend is somebody that learns about dementia so they can help their community. They may choose to wear the badge so they can show support for the movement, or to help others who may need it.

Dementia Friends pin badge

Many Dementia Friends choose to receive and wear their pin badge.

These pin badges aren’t available to buy. Instead, you have the option to receive a badge once you become a Dementia Friend either by attending an Information Session in your community or by joining online. You can become a Dementia Friend here.

Share your badge

Do you have a badge like one of these? Send us a photo of you wearing it with the hashtag #ForgetMeNotBadge and tell us why you wear yours

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook
Categories

113 comments

Made a donation and haven't received my badge

Firstly, thank you for making a donation.

Depending on the type of donation you made, the badges are typically sent out 2 days afterwards and can take up to 10 working days, not including the bank holidays.

For further help, please call our Supporter Care line on 0330 333 0804. More details on our Supporter Care line (including opening hours) are available here: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/contact-us

Thank you again for your support.

Alzheimer's web team

Made a donation and filled out form on 21st April but still haven’t received badge. When will I get this as it’s supposed to be for May when it’s worn?
Hi there, I donated via text message and I haven’t received my badge, this was over 3 weeks ago, can you advise how long it takes xx

Hi Michaela, thank you for your comment. We're sorry to hear you haven't received your badge yet. 

If you donated via text, on the back of a TV ad, you will usually receive a phone call. 4 attempts will be made in total and, if there is no answer, a form is then usually sent for you to fill out to receive your badge.

For a standard text, you should have received a text bounce back with a link to where you can fill in the form. If you haven't yet filled in a form to claim the badge, you can find the form online here: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/form/order-forget-me-not-appeal-badge

If contact has already been made, then the badges are usually sent out 2 days after the donation was made and can take up to 10 working days, not including the bank holidays. Please take in to consideration postal delays.

Alternatively, for further help, you can call our Supporter Care line on 0330 333 0804. More details on our Supporter Care line for fundraising and general enquiries (including opening hours) are available here: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/contact-us


We hope this helps for now Michaela, and that your badge arrives soon.

Alzheimer's Society web team

Hi Michaela, thank you very much for your donation and your question. 

Depending on the type of text donation you made, the badges are typically sent out 2 days afterwards and can take up to 10 working days, not including the bank holidays. Please also take in to consideration postal delays.

For further help, please call our Supporter Care line on 0330 333 0804. More details on our Supporter Care line (including opening hours) are available here: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/contact-us

We hope this helps for now, Michaela. Thank you again for your support.

Alzheimer's web team

Hi I was wondering if you did the forget me not pin badges in more bulk than 10 at a time? Looking to give these out as favours for my upcoming wedding.

Hi Claire, thank you for your comment and your interest in our forget me not pin badges. You can find our branded badges in our online shop here: https://shop.alzheimers.org.uk/collections/branded-merchandise

If you click on the option in the shop that you would prefer, you will then be able to increase the quantity - including for the x10 pin badges packs eg you could increase the size of your bulk order by choosing (for example) 3 as the quantity. This would mean you'd get 3 packs of badges (each containing x10 badges) and 30 badges overall. Unfortunately we don't currently have any larger individual packs on sale.

We hope this helps for now and congratulations on your upcoming wedding.

Alzheimer's Society web team

To the alzheimers.org.uk administrator, Keep it up!
Hi just wondering where to get the metal pin badge for dementia,have got &sold for you the cloth one,but a bit tasty now

Hi Sandra, thank you for your question. You can find our available branded products in our online shop here: https://shop.alzheimers.org.uk/collections/branded-merchandise

There is a Memory Walk tag and pin badge currently on sale: https://shop.alzheimers.org.uk/products/memory-walk-tag-and-pin-badge?variant=42367172083866

You may also be interested in our Forget Me Not Appeal, where we have the latest version of our Forget Me Not badge, but we're not sure if this is the one you are searching for: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/forget-me-not-appeal/get-your-badge

We hope this helps for now, Sandra.

Alzheimer's Society web team

Great information. Dealing with a lot of this with my Grandma. Such a struggle, but yet I have hope. Thanks!
I have early onset vascular dementia. I honestly think that a badge Lego of some description maybe on a baseball hat woolly hat a lapel type pin would be great One of my problems is speech my words come out wrong or a stutter or say the wrong thing which is very embarrassing as it sounds as tho I am drunk the more I try the worse it gets To the point I hate leaving the house which leads to becoming depressed and falling down that hole as well If there was a woolly hat for example with a logo on Straight away members of the public shop staff etc would know and in most give you a bit help and understand your situation Not all mind I have had some situations were people are very unkind towards me One of the reasons I am asking about a logo for a dementia person
As a carer for my wife, I am proud to wear the dementia pin badge. Do you think it would be a good idea to have a larger version of the badge to place on a car similar to the A/A /RAC. badges I for one would be your first customer to purchase the said item, it would also identify a person in the car who may suffer dementia and may be an invalid also therefore be a little more tolerant particularly in parking situations. It would also bring a little more revenue to the the Alzhiemers society which we all know would be gratefully accepted.
I wish there was a way that people can see that my husband, who looks very fit, has Alzheimer’s,.he doesn’t want me to tell people. But I have found that often in shops people are very helpful, particularly if we are trying to buy something to do with manual work. Like buying sanding discs.

I am looking forward to the support and reports which are interesting and it has made me feel more relaxed. Many thanks in advance for the information and relaxation which I am hoping to enjoy in future - much appreciated in advance.

I have been reading the comments about dementia badges, and it seems to me that people with dementia should be able to choose to wear a badge if we want to.
I have had dementia for five years and am quite happy to be identified by a badge - in fact it would help shop staff to know that I might leave my wallet on the counter, or walk out without paying!

Martin..I hope you do not mind me writing to you,but I am so glad that you also wear a badge.I look at them as a badge of happiness and not something that defines us..Yes it alerts others that we need assistance sometimes,but it also makes us very special people too.It proves we are fighting something that some people find hard to understand.Take care martin.

I think this is a brilliant idea not only that dementia can be confusing for some people and their families support is the most important thing for people suffering with dementia its a brilliant organisation and I will be making a donation not now but later on my mum suffer from dementia later on in her life its very hard and can be very overwhelming at times I hope their is a cure for dementia and ongoing research helps to those families their positive things you can to to help so I will continue to read information on this website which I great

My mum has this awful illness too..and so did my dad. It has turned my mum into someone who will remember me one day and forget who I am the next.I just wish there was more we could learn about how this illness progresses and if there is anyway to slow it's progress and then we could hold on to our loved ones for a bit longer, I am going through it with a loved one for a 2nd time ..but dad's dementia was nothing like my mums and that is what makes it so complex.

Sarah .. sorry must be hard for the family .
Just confirmed today that my wife has the onset .
All my children went to the Charing Cross Hospital to hear the consultants.
I hear Galantamine helps ! Some from Daffodils !Hooe things get better..🙏

Harbir..Thank you so much for reaching out and for your suggestions about Galantamine..Next time we have an appointment I will ask about this..I am so sorry to hear that you will be on this journey now. I hope you will have the support and help that you will need,We are all here for each other,so please just reach out if and when you need to..take care and best wishes to all of your family.

Hello All. Do you do stickers for cars at all ?, if so where can l purchase a couple please.

They are commonly known as Decals. There are many companies that produce them. It might be worth checking with them, as Alzheimer's is not the only organisation that uses the 'forget me not'. I wear it for both institutions.

I lost lost my mum to dementia last September we miss her so much she had to go to a care home and was looked after by wonderful staff me and my brothers would love to wear these lovely badges to support dementia

We're sorry for your loss, Wendy. Please know that we're here if you need us and you can give our support line a call on 0333 150 3456.

If you'd like your own Forget Me Not badge, please consider supporting our Forget Me Not Appeal. When you donate, you will receive a badge in the post to wear in honour of someone affected by dementia.

You can find out more about the Appeal and how to get involved here: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/forget-me-not-appeal  

Alzheimer's Society website team

Would I be allowed to include the image of the three examples of pins in my blog post detailing how venues can be more dementia friendly? I would of course link back to this post for you.

Hi Becca,

Thanks for this - that image is fine to include.

All the best,

Alzheimer's Society website team

Please I need forget me not badges

Hi Pascal, thanks for your comment.

Our usual forget-me-not badges are available in our shop, here: https://shop.alzheimers.org.uk/branded-merchandise/Forget-me-not-brooch

We also have badges for our forget-me-not appeal, which you can find here:
https://shop.alzheimers.org.uk/branded-products/branded-merchandise/For…

Hope this helps,

Alzheimer's Society blog team