Students at the Plume Academy have been thanked for working locally to raise awareness of dementia in Maldon.

Year 12 students at the Plume Academy, on Fambridge Road, have been working alongside the Maldon District Dementia Action Alliance (MDDAA) as part of the school's efforts to support the Dementia Friendly Communities Initiative.

The programme encourages everyone to share responsibility for ensuring that people with dementia feel understood, respected and supported.

Mark Neville, co-chair of the MDDAA, tasked the students with raising awareness of dementia in the community.

Supported by teachers Miss Tween and Miss Baker, the teenagers - who are part of the Prince's Trust group at the school - completed in-depth research before being briefed by Mark.

They then produced a leaflet to be distributed locally on the issues faced by those with dementia when they enter the town and how they can be supported.

Mark said: "Dementia is one of the key health issues we currently face in the UK, with one person every three minutes being diagnosed with dementia and a third of young people knowing someone living with dementia.

"It is estimated that over two million people will develop dementia over the next ten years.

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"By educating young people about dementia, we can create a future dementia-friendly generation.

"Young people will have increased confidence and understanding when communicating with people with dementia, helping to reduce social isolation and stigma.

"Increasing young people's understanding of dementia will have long term benefits as they approach adulthood and become the doctors, carers, social workers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and employers of tomorrow.

"Learning about dementia also supports a young people's education in several ways."

He continued: "My thanks to all the Year 12 pupils and staff of the Plume School who are currently supporting the Dementia Friendly Communities initiative."

A spokesperson for Plume Academy said: "We are proud to announce that Eddie Restarick had his information leaflet chosen from very tough competition by Sarah Troop, co-chair of MDDAA, and Mark Neville to go forward into production and distribution locally."

They added: "Going forward our students will be looking at how Maldon town centre itself can become more dementia friendly."