TWO Bradford businesses are providing practical support for dementia sufferers.

Yorkshire Building Society has become the UK’s first building society to commit to the Dementia Action Alliance and to adopting ways for staff to help sufferers and their carers. And Bradford-based Barrett Steel Group raised more than £10,000 for the Dementia UK charity.

YBS held a public signing of its dementia support pledge at its branch in Meltham, near Huddersfield, where staff have been training to improve understanding and empathy with sufferers. Meltham is bidding to become a recognised dementia friendly area.

Hannah Bell, branch manager, said: “We’re seeing an increasing number of customers with dementia and understand the importance of adapting our service to suit their needs.

“The training my team and I undertook, led by a professional, was really informative and very useful. We took a lot from it and will definitely be applying our newfound knowledge to make life easier for people with dementia.”

The YBS group, including Barnsley, Chelsea and Norwich & Peterborough building societies, will roll out additional training providing tools and advice to staff. It will recruit employees to a “vulnerable customer champions network” to share best practice.

Mike Sketch, YBS head of customer experience, said: “Signing up to Dementia Action Alliance is an important illustration of how we are seeking to support vulnerable customers.”

Simon Wallace, Dementia Action Alliance project manager, said: “There are 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK at a cost to the UK economy of £23 billion a year.

“We’re working to bring about a country-wide response to dementia by engaging with organisations such as Yorkshire Building Society to make sure that people can continue to live in their own communities.”

Football raconteur Barry Fry and comedian Gary Skyner appeared at the Barrett Steel’s charity dinner where auction items included a Michael Schumacher signed shirt which sold for £1,000 and a Lionel Messi shirt which raised £700.

Rob Ridge Barrett Steel’s commercial development director, said: “We had a really enthusiastic response from the audience of 300, including Barrett’s customers, suppliers and employees.”

Hilda Hayo, Dementia UK’s chief Admiral Nurse, said: “Our partnership with Barrett Steel is vitally important to supporting families in Northern England.”

who are caring for a loved one with dementia. With over £10,000 being raised on the night this is enough to support 500 families struggling to care for someone with dementia.”