A group will be publicly launched next month to ensure Harleston and the surrounding villages can become a dementia friendly community.

The Harleston and District Dementia Friendly Community steering committee - which consists of medical practices in the town, Alzheimer's society, Norfolk and Suffolk Dementia Alliance and the town council - have been working for about a year towards the launch.

To become a dementia friendly community, the town needs to work together to support and understand people who dementia and to enable them to live as full a life as possible.

Councillor Frances Bickley, who is also treasurer of the steering group, said: 'We will involve businesses and offer free dementia friendly training sessions.

'At the launch we will be telling people what we are doing and how to get signed up and involved.

'We will then focus on launching a dementia friendly cafe and carer groups.'

The launch will take place at the Sancroft Centre and Archbishop Sancroft High School.

The informal evening will include guest speakers representing Norfolk and Suffolk Dementia Alliance and the Alzheimer's Society.

It is quite an intense process to become dementia friendly but the steering group aim to be recognised as such by next year.

The event will take place on Monday, October 10 at 6.30pm. There will be a finger buffet and refreshments.

To book a place email patricia.simmonds@hanover.org.uk or call Pat after 4pm on 01379 676557 or you can call Harleston Information Plus on 01379 851917.

What do you think of Harleston and the surrounding communities aiming to become dementia friendly? Email rebecca.murphy@archant.co.uk or call reporter Rebecca Murphy on 01379 651176.