Our Ambassadors

Ann was diagnosed with dementia in October 2005 at the age of 52. Since her diagnosis, Ann has moved into sheltered accommodation where she gives talks to staff and residents about her experiences of dementia as well as being a very active volunteer travelling around the country to raise awareness and understanding of the condition.

Ann took part in Alzheimer's Disease International conference in London 2012 and has been involved in the Champion Group for Dementia Friendly Communities, as part of the Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia.

In July 2012 Ann was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Bolton for her 'outstanding contribution to healthcare' and in 2013 was awarded the MBE in the New Year Honours List. 

Baroness Browning is a former Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party. She was MP for Tiverton for 18 years, before in 2010 being raised to the peerage as Baroness Browning of Whimple in the County of Devon. During her political career, she has focused on a range of health issues including autism and dementia. In Government, she served in various roles including as Minister for Crime Prevention.

Broadcaster and journalist, Angela Rippon has supported Alzheimer's Society for a number of years as a celebrity supporter and has spoken of her experiences caring for her mother Edna who was diagnosed with dementia in 2004. Angela was a BBC newsreader for five years and has worked in news and current affairs for over 40 years.

Angela is the co-chair of the Dementia Friendly Communities Champion Group as part of the Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia.

Arlene was awarded a Damehood in 2021 for her services to dance and charity, including her support of Alzheimer’s Society.

Respected choreographer, theatre director, talent scout and former dancer, Arlene has been a talent judge on such hugely popular TV shows as Strictly Come Dancing and So You Think You Can Dance?

Arlene cared for her father when he developed Alzheimer's disease and has spoken of the difficulties faced by the person with dementia and their carers. Determined to raise awareness of dementia, Arlene is a celebrity supporter who has fronted many of the Society's campaigns and fundraising activities. She has spoken out to improve the quality of care as part of the Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia.

Avnish Goyal CBE

Avnish Goyal CBE qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Coopers & Lybrand in 1991 after graduating from Newcastle University with an Honours degree in Accounting and Finance. He is the Chair of industry-leading care provider, Hallmark Care Homes which he founded with his brothers in 1997. Over the last 23 years the company has won numerous awards for delivering outstanding care as well as national awards for building some of the best care homes in the country.  

In 2010, Avnish set up the Hemraj Goyal Foundation in memory of his late father, supporting charities on issues such as FGM, menstrual dignity, empowerment of women and education of children from disadvantaged backgrounds both in the UK and abroad. He is proud to be the Chair of Care England, the largest trade association for the care sector and the founding Trustee and now Patron of The Care Workers' Charity.

Anita Goyal MBE 

Anita Goyal MBE is the Chair and trustee of The Hemraj Goyal Foundation, and the Hallmark Foundation. In 2021 Anita was invested with an MBE in Her Majesty’s New Year Honours List for services to Diversity and Female Empowerment. She is an award-winning philanthropist, community champion and author of Voices from Punjab and Voices from Gujarat. She is the Vice President of Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry in the UK (WICCI) and Chair of the care sector fundraising ball in Championing Social Care.

Anita is a shareholder of the family business – Hallmark Care homes and is a passionate ambassador of the company. Prior to this, Anita spent twenty years teaching science and was an Assistant Headteacher. Anita completed her MA in Special and Inclusive Education and is now pioneering personal development workshops in schools across the UK. She is a member of the advisory panel for Regent College London and the Khalsa Academies Trust.

Carey's support of Alzheimer’s Society is inspired by her grandmother, Nans, who had Alzheimer’s disease. In her Ambassador role, Carey has been a powerful voice for people affected by dementia, using her international platform to support many of our campaigns and events.  

She has participated in Memory Walks, visited Alzheimer’s Society services, been a keynote speaker at major conferences, including the United Nations in New York, and drawn attention to dementia and the work of the Society in media interviews.

In July 2016 Chris was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia when she was 60 years old, following a couple of minor strokes.

Chris is actively involved with Alzheimer’s Society, speaking at various national conferences. Chris has chaired the National Dementia Action Alliance and she has participated in many projects across the organisation including co-producing ‘Bring Dementia Out’ to help LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) people benefit from dementia awareness and services – an innovation project which received a People Award nomination. Chris and her partner have also co-produced a new learning and development course for Alzheimer’s Society. Chris was appointed to the Board of Trustees in October 2022.

A diagnosis of vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease at 51 years of age has not stopped Chris from leading a full and active life and, with the support of his wife Jayne, he speaks regularly at conferences and events nationally and internationally about his experience of living with dementia and the support needed to live the lives they wish.

Chris is a board member of Dementia Alliance International, a dementia research champion, a peer reviewer for MSNAP and a member of the Society's Service User Review Panel for north Wales. Both Chris and Jayne are Dementia Champions and run Dementia Friends information sessions as a team. In just over a year, Chris and Jayne have created over 300 Dementia Friends across north Wales. Chris actively campaigns for the rights of younger people with dementia and their specific needs, particularly about the suitability of most residential settings for the younger person.

Chris is Executive Director UK at QBE and he has been involved with Alzheimer’s Society since 2015. He joined the insurance industry in 1993 and is the chairman of our insurance board – Insurance United Against Dementia (IUAD) which is raising 10 million for dementia research and support services through events, corporate partnerships and individual donations. Inspired by his grandmother who had dementia, Chris has been instrumental in establishing the IUAD board and driving forward the campaign. To date, the campaign has raised over £8 million.

Dame Denise is a former British Ambassador to Mexico and Spain where she devoted a good deal of time to the plight of the many elderly British citizens living there. Now retired from the FCO, Denise is a member of the Board of OFQUAL and of the NHS Pay Review Body as well as a Director of HSBC Bank plc, among many other interests. Her mother had Alzheimer's disease.

David’s Dad, Colin, lived with Pick’s Disease for several years and passed away in January 2022. Colin’s dementia was the subject David’s stage show ‘My Family: Not the Sitcom and the Channel 4 documentary ‘The Trouble with Dad’.

David wants to use comedy to talk about dementia to raise awareness of what dementia is, and how it affects every person differently. He is joining forces with Alzheimer’s Society to continue this conversation and to encourage others to unite against dementia so no-one has to face the condition alone.

Lord Blunkett was MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough from 1987 until 2015, following which he was elevated to the Lords. As an MP, he served as Home Secretary, and he previously served as Shadow Secretary of State for Health from 1992 until 1994. He has been a long-time supporter of Alzheimer's Society, particularly the local Alzheimer's Society in Sheffield.

Elaine, Baroness Murphy of Aldgate MB ChB, MD, PhD, FRCPsych, is a politically independent member of the House of Lords. She was formerly Foundation Professor of Old Age Psychiatry at the University of London and the first chair in the subject in the UK.

She also later held management posts in the NHS and was Chair of the North East London Strategic Health Authority. Elaine was the Chief Medical Officer’s personal advisor in her field and a UK advisor in mental health to the WHO. She takes a special interest in mental health and social care in the House of Lords. 

In her spare time she researches local and social history and has recently taken up an honorary position at Kings College London to continue her studies on 18th and 19th century poor law in London.

Fiona Phillips is living with young-onset Alzheimer’s disease. She is a television presenter and Daily Mirror columnist and as an Ambassador for the Society has frequently spoken about her mother and father who both had Alzheimer's disease. Fiona is a long term campaigner and advocate of the rights of all those affected by dementia fronting appeals, TV programmes and events to champion our cause.

In speaking about being diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s disease and her experience of taking part in clinical trials at University College Hospital in London, Fiona is raising awareness of both the signs and symptoms of dementia and how people can take part in dementia research. 

Heather was 51 when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and she has spoken openly about her experience as a younger person living with dementia, including taking part in a number of media interviews for Alzheimer's Society. Based in Derby, she was an IT consultant who then moved into teaching. Alzheimer's disease eventually forced her to stop working. She participated in a dementia trial at University College Hospital looking at the early stages of dementia, tracking how the condition progresses.

In December 2012, Hilary was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Hilary spoke out about her experiences of living with dementia to world health ministers at the 2013 London G8 dementia summit and met with David Cameron. Hilary is involved in the Research Network and has been appointed as the representative for England on the European Working Group for People with Dementia and currently is Vice-Chair of the group. After speaking at the World Dementia Council meeting in October 2014, Hilary was invited to become a full member of the Council, becoming the first person with dementia to hold this position.

Ian Sherriff BEM is the Academic Partnership Lead for Dementia at the University of Plymouth. His work on dementia is recognised both nationally and internationally. He is Chair of the Prime Minister’s Rural Dementia Group, Chair of the Prime Minister’s Dementia Air Transport Group, is a member of the Prime Minister’s Challenge Group for Dementia and Chairs a global group for dementia. Ian is leading an Alzheimer’s Europe Ukrainian dementia programme and is also co-leading dementia programmes in Zambia and Nigeria. Ian is an active Member of the British Standards Institute (BSI) and the International Standards Organisation. 

He was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2019 for his work on dementia. 
 

Sir Jonathan Pryce CBE  is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning British actor of the stage and screen. For his performance as ‘Pope Francis’ in the hit Netflix film 'The Two Popes', in which he starred opposite Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan was nominated for the 2020 Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, in addition to receiving BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations in the same category.

More recently he has portrayed Prince Phillip in the acclaimed Netflix series 'The Crown' and starred in the Apple TV+ series 'Slow Horses' opposite Gary Oldman.

On becoming an Ambassador Jonathan said, “I’ve witnessed first-hand the effects of dementia on my own family. Having long supported the work of Alzheimer’s Society, I’m honoured to become an official Ambassador, which I do in honour of my late aunt".

Stand-up comedian and celebrity supporter for the Society, Jo Brand is a former psychiatric nurse. She worked with dementia patients for 10 years and has first-hand experience of caring for people with dementia.

Joy, together with her husband Tony, is a committed campaigner for Alzheimer’s Society and our Dementia Friends programme, regularly speaking out on her own experiences of living with dementia. Joy was the face of 2014's Manchester Memory Walk and is a passionate proponent of our dementia friendly communities initiative and is a fantastic example of how life doesn't have to stop when dementia begins.

The 2014 Dementia Champion winner at the Society’s Dementia Friendly Communities Awards, Joy was also one of the main speakers at the Dementia 2015 Conference. 

Oscar-winning screenwriter, author, actor and director, Julian Fellowes is an ardent advocate of the issues and causes affecting older people and is a celebrity supporter for the Society.

Recently known to TV viewers as the writer of the critically-acclaimed drama series Downton Abbey, Lord Fellowes brings a huge range of experience and passion to the Society. In 2011 he hosted the launch of our Dementia Research Programme - Drug Discovery - at the House of Lords and continues to support our cause in front of and behind the scenes.

Dr Kamel Hothi OBE is an international motivational speaker and life coach. She is an ex-banker with more than 40 years’ experience and has been an architect of numerous initiatives that have shaped the banking industry. She now sits on several boards including Lloyds of London ESG Committee, The Queens Commonwealth Trust and a is Non-Executive Director for TLC Lions supporting over 300 companies on their inclusion, wellbeing and leadership development. 

Kamel is ranked in the top 100 most influential black, Asian and minority ethnic leaders in the UK and was awarded an OBE in 2017 for services to promoting diversity in banking.

Dr Karan Jutlla is Dementia Lead for the Institute of Health at the University of Wolverhampton.

Her specialist role at Wolverhampton is designed to provide leadership for the development and delivery of dementia care curricula and research, promoting the development of a culturally competent healthcare workforce skilled in dementia care.

As an academic, Karan’s research interests are in the challenge of dementia care, particularly within ethnic minority groups and she is passionate about achieving cultural inclusivity in dementia care with a person-centered approach at the heart of this. 

Karan also works as an independent consultant supporting policymakers, and health and social care service providers to develop and enhance existing dementia programmes ensuring that care is delivered in a culturally inclusive way. 

Prior to receiving his diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in 2010, Keith had a successful career in education, including 16 years as a head teacher. Keith is now a member of our Grant Advisory Panel for Care, Services & Public Health Research as well as a Research Network Volunteer. Keith has recently led the publication of a book, Welcome to our World, a collection of life writing by people living with dementia, to raise funds for Alzheimer's Society. 

Keith is a regular contributor in the media and in 2015 he, along with 2 other people with dementia, produced a video diary of his experiences living with dementia which featured on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme, where he also participated in a studio debate. Keith regularly speaks out in the media about his experiences living with dementia as well as at events all over the country. Keith is based in Kent where he is an Dementia Service User Envoy for Kent & Medway Partnership Trust.

Actor Kevin appeared in the Comic Relief drama, Dad, highlighting issues surrounding elder abuse. His many other credits include Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Peak Practice, Inspector Morse and most recently Lewis. Kevin's mother had Alzheimer's disease. Kevin continues to raise awareness for the Society's work and is a celebrity supporter.

Laurence Geller CBE is founder and CEO of Strategic Hotels and Resorts, Chairman of Churchill Centre in USA and Chancellor of University of West London. He founded Chicago-based Geller Investment Co LLC in 2013 – a private real estate investment platform focused on placing capital in the hospitality/leisure industries. 

Laurence serves on a number of boards relating to the real estate and lodging industries, including as Co-Chairman of the Industry Real Estate Financing Advisory Council of the American Hotel and Lodging Association and as American Ambassador and Fellow to the UK-based Institute of Hospitality.

Laurence has long-held associations with the University of Westminster, graduating from the School of Hotel Management and Catering at the institution when it was Ealing Technical College. In March 2009, he received University of West London’s Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award, and in November 2010, received an honorary doctorate; he was installed as Chancellor in May 2011.

A respected philanthropist, Laurence is Chairman of the Churchill Centre and a serving member of, amongst others, the President’s Council of the Midwest Region of the US Fund for UNICEF, and The National Leadership Council for the American Jewish Committee. Laurence has received numerous awards for his charitable endeavours. He has personally fundraised more than US$20m cumulatively to a variety of humanitarian, cultural and civic causes over the years.

Laurence has authored over 50 published articles about the lodging industry as well as a novel, Do Not Disturb. Laurence was awarded a CBE by the Queen in the 2012 New Year's Honours List.

Lavina Mehta MBE, founder of Feel Good With Lavina, is a Personal Trainer, Wellness Coach and Speaker. A former Global Project Manager at BP, Lavina left her corporate career to raise her three boys.

Lavina was awarded an MBE for services to health and fitness during Covid-19. Her mission is to help all ages (up to 100) feel good physically, mentally and reduce risks of common chronic diseases through her concept of “exercise snacking” and free chair workouts. Her slogan is to “exercise for sanity not vanity.” 

Lavina is the author of the book, The Feel Good Fix, which is specifically designed to improve health in perimenopause, menopause and beyond, offering quick, fun and effective bitesize exercise, as well as mind and lifestyle ‘snacks’ to help people feel good, both physically and mentally.

You can view some of her workouts on her YouTube Channel.
 

Lesley Manville CBE is an award-winning actor of stage and screen. Her credits include the popular BBC comedy, Mum, Phantom Thread, where she was nominated for an Oscar, and starred in Netflix drama, The Crown, where she played Princess Margaret.

Lesley’s passion for supporting Alzheimer’s Society stems from caring for her own mother who had dementia and her portrayal of a carer in the film, Ashes, opposite Ray Winstone in 2012. Lesley’s many years of support includes launching Dementia Friends, attending Memory Walks, voicing our Fix Dementia Care campaign video, and reading at our Carols at Christmas fundraising event.

Louise Robinson is Professor of Primary Care and Ageing, Newcastle University, an academic GP and Director of the Newcastle University Institute of Ageing. Louise's research programme is focused on Primary Care of those with dementia including early intervention, end of life care and the role of assistive technologies. Louise leads Alzheimer’s Society’s Centres of Excellence in Dementia Care Research which focuses on developing and evaluating post-diagnostic support for people with dementia.

Currently Louise is the primary care advisor for the Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia and the National Clinical Champion for Dementia at the Royal College of GPs.

Since being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease Lorraine has dedicated herself to improving the future for people affected by dementia. She regularly attends and speaks at conferences locally and nationally to help raise awareness of dementia and the impact her young-onset diagnosis has had on her life.

Lorraine worked in a mental health care trust in Medway Hospital and has been the driving force in making the hospital more dementia friendly.

Lorraine is the chair of the local Dementia Action Alliance in Medway and was recently awarded Kent’s most inspiring person with dementia, something that she is extremely proud of. 

Sir Malcolm Walker was born in Yorkshire in 1946 and founded the company Iceland in 1970, opening the first shop in Oswestry with an investment of just £60. He then served as Iceland’s Chairman and CEO through 30 years of continuous growth. Malcolm left Iceland in 2001, but returned as CEO four years later. Iceland today has sales of £2.8bn, over 900 stores and more than 22,000 employees who have twice voted it the Best Big Company to Work For in the UK.

The Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation has raised more than £20m for good causes, focusing particularly on dementia charities.

Meera Syal CBE became an Ambassador of Alzheimer’s Society in 2013, inspired by a close family connection to dementia.

Meera was one of the country’s very first Dementia Friends, using her platform to raise awareness and understanding of dementia and inspire people to transform that understanding into action. She’s passionate about raising awareness of dementia within ethnically diverse communities, recently speaking at one of our fundraising events about her personal experience of dementia and the impact of the condition on the South Asian community.  

Meera is a regular at her local Memory Walk and raises awareness of the work of Alzheimer’s Society through press, marketing, and social media support. 

John Suchet OBE has been a long-standing supporter in the fight against dementia, using his own personal experience of grief and loss to provide a guiding light to families affected.

John most recently retired from presenting ‘The Classic FM Concert’ on Classic FM. A self-confessed Beethoven addict, John’s career has taken him from international war zones to the relative comfort of the Classic FM studio. Although he definitely now regards himself as a radio man, John Suchet is one of the country’s best-known TV journalists. He began his career as a correspondent for the news agency Reuters.

Then, as a reporter for ITN, he covered major world events, including the Polish Solidarity movement, the Iran revolution, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Rhodesian war of independence, the Lebanese civil war, and the Philippines revolution in 1986, for which he was named TV Journalist of the Year. John went on to present News at Ten and all other ITN bulletins for a period of almost 20 years. In 2008 the Royal Television Society awarded John its highest accolade, the Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2001 the Royal Academy of Music awarded John an honorary fellowship for his work on Beethoven.

Nula Suchet was born and raised in Ireland but spent much of her life in the UK. Educated in Ireland and England, she studied at Chelsea College of Art where her extraordinary artistic talents were quickly recognised. Sculpting clay models on live TV for the BBC she met her future husband, documentary film producer James Black. Nula went on to become Ireland’s most celebrated interior designer, fashioning castles, mansions and stately homes taking chic to a unprecedented levels.

James’ unexpected diagnosis of dementia came as a hammer-blow for Nula, and she juggled her time between caring for him and her ever-more demanding work. Inevitably the time came when she could no longer cope, and – devastated – she placed James in a care home where he spent his last days. It was here that her life unexpectedly changed when she met and eventually fell in love with a man whose wife also had dementia, and who was going through the very same emotions.

Professor Peter Passmore is a psychiatrist for old-age and Professor of Ageing and Geriatric Medicine at Queen's University, Belfast. He is leading an exciting clinical trial to test a potential treatment for Vascular Dementia (there are currently no treatments) which Alzheimer's Society is joint-funding with the British Heart Foundation as part of our Drug Discovery Programme.

Professor Passmore is widely respected as one of the leading dementia experts in Northern Ireland. He is very supportive of the Society and is currently a member of our Grant Advisory Board for Biomedical Research.

Richard McCourt (Dick) is a television presenter and radio presenter best known as one half of BBC award-winning duo Dick and Dom. He has actively taken part in fundraising, campaigned for the Society and is a celebrity supporter. He has spoken about his personal experience of dementia caring for his mother.

Richard is the Chairman of M&C Saatchi Group UK and of M&C Saatchi Merlin, a talent agency for leading names in sport and entertainment. He is also the Chairman of South Shore (an ITV Studios production company), former Chairman of Surrey County Cricket Club and now Chair of the ECB. Since January 2020, Richard has been Chair of our flagship Sport United Against Dementia campaign (SUAD).

He has been instrumental in establishing the SUAD campaign board, bringing leaders from across the world of sport together for the first time to tackle dementia by raising significant funds and awareness, as well as creating a dementia friendly sporting landscape.

Robbie has been an active ambassador since 2011, supporting Alzheimer’s Society in memory of his father, Colin, who passed away with Pick’s Disease in 2012.

Robbie often raises awareness of dementia in media interviews and social media posts, directing people to the work of Alzheimer’s Society. In his role as Director of Macclesfield FC, he was instrumental in selecting Alzheimer’s Society as the club’s nominated charity, raising funds for our Sport United Against Dementia initiative.

Robbie’s attended numerous fundraising events, ran the Great North Run, and donated proceeds from his autobiography to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s Society. 

Robert is the son of modern artist William Scott who died of dementia in 1989. After having supported the Society for many years, he was invited to be among the first group of Ambassadors to be appointed at the House of Lords in 2007.
 
The Scott family actively supports the Society’s research programme to help take us closer to developing a treatment, if not a cure, for diseases such as Alzheimer’s through the William Scott Estate.

Roland Rudd is a leader in corporate communications and provides personal counsel to board members and senior executives at the most critical moments for their companies. Before founding Finsbury, a strategic communications and public affairs consultancy, he worked as a financial journalist at the Financial Times, The Sunday Correspondent and The Times, and as a Policy Coordinator for Lord Owen.

Roland chaired the Dementia Creative Committee in 2014, which aimed to recruit Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends across the corporate sector.  The Committee helped garner support from over 20 businesses and over 400,000 employees supported the initiative. 

Roland became an Alzheimer’s Society Ambassador in 2020, and is striving to change societal perceptions of dementia. He works closely with the Alzheimer’s Society Campaigns and Policy team to drive the social care crisis up the list of priorities for Government. During the coronavirus pandemic he made a personal contribution to our Emergency Appeal to ensure people affected by dementia could continue to receive the support they deserve. 

By helping to break down stigma, he is transforming the way the UK thinks, acts and talks about the condition.

Rupert has 25 years’ experience in the financial world. He is based in London and is currently a partner at Alignvest, the Toronto based Alternative Investment Group that specialises in private equity with investments across student housing, healthcare, telecoms, and insurance. He previously held several different roles as the founder of Hampton Investment Management, where he managed an emerging markets equity fund, and at Matterhorn Investment Management. He is also a trustee of the Syncona Foundation.

Rupert has been involved with Alzheimer’s Society for over a decade. In his Ambassador role he has spearheaded a series of successful opportunities to significantly increase high-level funding and investment, in innovative research in particular, that will transform the experience of those with dementia – both now and in the future.

Russell Grant, astrologer and television presenter, is a committed celebrity supporter of the Society and has spoken about his grandmother's diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease.

As a television presenter, Ruth has presented programmes such as Loose Women, Langsford Late, Gardens of the Millennium and The Really Useful Show. She now presents ITV1's This Morning. Ruth is a celebrity supporter of the Society and has taken part in many Alzheimer's Society fundraising events, and has spoken about her personal experience of her father's dementia.

Sally Lindsay lives in South East London with her husband drummer Steve White and their twins Victor and Louie.

An actress and writer, Sally has a very successful career and is best known for the TV Soap Coronation Street, ITV’s detective series Scott & Bailey, Sky TV’s comedy series Mount Pleasant and BBC TV’s  Still Open All Hours, as well as Channel 5 drama, Cold Call.

Sally started supporting Alzheimer’s Society in 2001 and became an Ambassador in 2007. In 2001 in an interview with the Daily Mirror, Sally said, 'My beloved grandmother died of Alzheimer's and I really want to do anything I can to raise awareness of this devastating disease'. Sally’s' grandmother Ellen (known as Nellie) had Alzheimer’s disease and died aged 70 in 1990, having been diagnosed with this incurable illness at the young age of 60.

True to her word, since that time, Sally has helped raise awareness of the need for funding for a cure for dementia and support for families living with this as yet incurable condition.

Dementia has been part of her life for a long time as she shared in the care of her mother, who had Vascular Dementia. Shelagh’s best friend had Alzheimer’s disease and lived with Shelagh and her husband, Paul, for five years.

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2010 when she was 70, Shelagh’s first campaign for the Alzheimer’s Society was a petition to improve post diagnostic support which gained more than 50,000 signatures which she presented at 10 Downing Street after taking part in in a day long lobby of Members of Parliament.

An accomplished public speaker she has undertaken many hundreds of speaking engagements on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Society, including to the De Loitte Institute, the directors of major banks and at many conferences. She is a member of the Three Nations Dementia Steering group and was involved in the revision of the Dementia Statements.

Shelagh is passionate about the needs of older people with dementia who have no access to services and with end of life care, believing that as well as living well with dementia we must look to dying well with dementia.

Award-winning actor Suranne Jones has supported Alzheimer’s Society for many years. Suranne, who won a coveted BAFTA for her starring role in Doctor Foster, accepted the role of Alzheimer’s Society Ambassador in 2020, as her late mother lived with dementia for eight years, sadly passing away in 2016.

The Gentleman Jack actor, who has supported flagship fundraising campaigns such as Memory Walk and Cupcake Day, will help Alzheimer’s Society on its mission to power research breakthroughs to improve care and find a cure, challenge perceptions and provide support.

TV presenter, writer and charity campaigner, Tania Bryer OBE is a celebrity supporter of the Society and has spoken about her father Lionel who had Alzheimer's disease.

Actor, presenter and writer Sir Tony Robinson, best known for television's Blackadder and Time Team, filmed the final days of his mother's life in a powerfully moving documentary Me And My Mum. Both of his parents had dementia and he is a celebrity supporter for the Society as one of our most ardent and active campaigners for all those affected by dementia. 

Vicky McClure MBE has supported Alzheimer’s Society for many years and became an Ambassador in honour of her grandmother, Iris, who had dementia.

Vicky is synonymous with our flagship fundraiser, Memory Walk, having attended every walk in her native Nottingham since 2011, using her voice to encourage as many people as possible to sign-up to their local walk and raise funds to support the Society.  

Vicky is passionate about the power of music to support people affected by dementia, presenting the BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary, Our Dementia Choir, and recently attended a virtual Singing for the Brain service to highlight the support available from Alzheimer’s Society during the coronavirus lockdown.