The power of adding your name to help make dementia a priority

People often ask me what they can do to get started with campaigning. 

My first response is usually, ‘By adding your name to a petition or open letter.’ 

When you’re passionate about changing lives, adding one name might not seem like much. 

But it’s actually vital, and especially powerful when many of us come together. There is strength in numbers and strength in a name.

Make change happen 

People like you have often made change happen by backing our open letters and petitions.

In just one example, 350 of you convinced MSs (Members of the Senedd) and MPs to sign our open letter to NHS Wales last year. 

This called on them to publish regular, detailed dementia diagnosis data. 

After our campaigners made themselves heard, the Welsh Government committed to getting this vital data published. 

Our voices 

John and Sarah Bennett-Green helped deliver the letter alongside their MS, Luke Fletcher. 

John lost his father to dementia and Sarah her mother. 

‘Having both lost parents to dementia, it felt right to get involved with this campaign to potentially help others going through the same thing,’ said John. 

‘It is important to have an active relationship with our local politicians because they are our voices in their respective debating chambers be that in Westminster, Cardiff or Stormont. 

‘They can only be effective when they understand what their communities are experiencing.’ 

What you can do 

Sign 

We share Society petitions on our website, on social media and with our campaigners. 

Add your name to a petition  or open letter in just a few clicks.

When thousands sign something, it pressures decision-makers to respond. 

Share 

Sharing on social media helps to raise the profile of important issues. 

Write your own post and ask friends and family to share and react to it. Or share posts written by us and other organisations. 

We use hashtags to help draw people’s attention.

Our #PlanD campaign called on the government to publish a long-term plan for dementia. Dementia has now been included in the Major Conditions Strategy. This was partly thanks to the campaign, and social media played a big role. 

Write 

Write an email or letter to your MP and other elected representatives. They work for you, and they depend on your vote. 

Use your own words or make use of the template letters that we provide for our campaigns. 

Find your MP’s contact details, find your MSs in Wales and your MLAs in Northern Ireland.