We are hugely grateful to all HSBC staff across the UK your commitment to our partnership so far. 

There are currently 850,000 people in the UK who are living with dementia, and, if current trends continue, this figure is set to double in a generation by 2050 there will be 2 million people within the UK. Dementia is quite simply the biggest killer of the 21st century, with one person being diagnosed every 3 minutes. 

That’s why we are so thankful for your support which allows us to invest now in dementia care, treatment and research in order to better prepare for this future challenge.  

I am sure that many of you here today will have had personal experience of dementia and will therefore be acutely aware of the devastating impact the disease can have, not just on the person living with the diagnosis, but also their loved ones who often struggle physically, emotionally and financially to cope. 

 And that is where the Alzheimer Society can make a really big difference. As the leading dementia charity in the UK, our aim is to make sure that nobody faces dementia alone.  

Through what you could raise as a team effort in this challenge it would help to fund two of our most vital services -  our  Dementia Helpline which provides much needed information and emotional support to anyone affected by dementia, and our network of specialist Dementia Support Workers who meet with people living with dementia, their families and carers enabling them to live full and supported lives in their local communities closer to the ones that they love for as long as possible.