Alzheimer’s Society announces PR Chairman Roland Rudd as Ambassador

His appointment comes at a time where people with dementia, 95% of whom are over 65 and mainly reliant on social care, are at significant risk and cut off from the outside world because of the current coronavirus crisis. 

The social care system, already at breaking point, has been further impacted by a reduction in care workers, as well as care homes having to close their doors to visitors. 

The need for Alzheimer’s Society’s services has never been more urgent. Around 80% of calls to its Dementia Connect support line are about coronavirus issues and in March alone, nearly 3,300 calls were made*. There’s been an increase of 600% in people joining the charity’s online community Talking Point in the last two weeks and around 100 more posts made per day. 

The charity’s Emergency Appeal will raise funds to help keep the Dementia Connect support line going and extend telephone and virtual support. People affected by dementia tell us our support line is a lifeline with thousands of people affected by dementia now having to cope with a temporary closure of face-to-face services and self-isolation.

Regarded as one of London’s most-connected Executives and Founder and Chairman of award-winning global strategic communications agency Finsbury, the former Financial Times journalist’s ambassadorship comes after his key involvement in Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends initiative.

Rudd chaired the Dementia Creative Committee in 2014, which aimed to recruit Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends across the corporate sector. The Committee helped garner the support from over 20 businesses and the number of employees who supported the initiative surpassed 400,000. Rudd also headed up the Government-backed campaign Dementia Movement in 2014, which aimed to increase social connectedness and upskill society, so that people understand how they can help people living with dementia. More recently, he chaired the charity’s Forget Me Not Gala event committee as part of Alzheimer’s Society 40th anniversary celebrations.

Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends is the largest social movement around dementia in the UK. The initiative was launched in 2013 to tackle the stigma that often results in people with dementia becoming socially isolated. There are now over three million Dementia Friends and over 450 dementia friendly businesses and organisations, helping to change the way society thinks, acts and talks about dementia. 

With the number of people living with dementia across the UK set to rise to one million by 2025, as well as backing Alzheimer’s Society’s Emergency Appeal, Roland Rudd will help Alzheimer’s Society challenge perceptions, power research breakthroughs and improve and provide care and support for the 850,000 people living with dementia.

Speaking about the Alzheimer’s Society Ambassador role, Roland Rudd, said:

I am delighted to be appointed as an Ambassador for Alzheimer’s Society, especially in these unprecedented times where people with dementia need more protection and support from wider society.

'Dementia is one of the greatest challenges we face in society today and needs to be made a priority by government, the research community, businesses and communities, both in the current coronavirus crisis and in the future.'

Welcoming Roland Rudd as a new ambassador, Kate Lee, CEO at Alzheimer’s Society, said:

'We’re delighted Roland has joined forces with us as an Ambassador because he shares our determination that nobody should face dementia alone and without adequate care and support. both in this current crisis and beyond. We are hearing daily from families struggling to explain what’s going on and carers unable to visit vulnerable people in person. Alzheimer’s Society is determined to be there for everyone in these challenging times, but we can’t do this without urgent donations.'

Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Connect support line 0333 150 3456 provides information and practical measures for people affected by dementia around the coronavirus and directs people towards other reliable sources. For up to date information, our services and practical measures we can all take to protect people with dementia during the coronavirus crisis, please visit alzheimers.org.uk

To support Alzheimer’s Society’s Emergency Appeal, please visit alzheimers.org.uk/emergency