Busiest December on record for our Dementia Support Line sparks launch of the Dementia Run Club

Families noticing dementia in their loved ones

We had our busiest ever December on our Dementia Support Line with nearly 5,000 calls received – up 16% from December 2024.

The surge in calls is likely to be related to families spending more time together in recent weeks. Some people may have noticed, for the first time, changes in a loved one that could indicate dementia, while others faced increased care demands for someone already living with the condition.

Launching the Dementia Run Club to fundraise

Less than a week into 2026, and with call levels remaining high, we are encouraging people to sign up to the AJ Bell Great Run Series of events to help sustain support for people affected by dementia and vital investment in ground-breaking research.

We've launched the Dementia Run Club, a unique running group made up of ten people with a personal or professional connection to dementia, including a person living with the condition, a dementia researcher and a carer.

Coaching the Dementia Run Club to success

RunningWithUs coaches will prepare the club to complete the 45th AJ Bell Great North Run on 13 September and fundraise for Alzheimer’s Society. We are the official charity of the AJ Bell Great Run Series for 2026/2027. 

Find out more about the Dementia Run Club and the full list of runners taking part.

Michelle Dyson CB, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Society, said:

“Every call to our Dementia Support Line represents a person or family reaching out for answers, guidance and hope as they navigate the often-complex challenges of a dementia diagnosis. Fundraising and donations ensure Alzheimer’s Society can be there whether at the end of a phone call, through a Dementia Adviser or by leading pioneering research into treatments and a cure."

Beating dementia will take all of us, a society united by a single goal, and that’s exactly what Dementia Run Club and its members bring to life.

Stephen Vowles, Chief Marketing Officer at AJ Bell, adds:

“We’re very proud to be partnering with Alzheimer’s Society for the 2026/2027 Great Run Series and to play our part in the collective fundraising effort to beat the UK’s biggest killer. Dementia will affect almost everyone at some point during their lifetime, with many of our own staff recently sharing stories of the profound impact it’s had on them and their families.

“This is why it is imperative that we work together to fund vital support services and research that could improve the lives of those living with dementia and their loved ones."

Initiatives such as the Dementia Run Club are one of many ways we believe people will be inspired to take part in Great Run events across the country this year.