A dementia sufferer gave a personal insight into his life in a bid to help Bradford become a friendly understanding district.

The first Bradford Dementia Action Alliance meeting was held yesterday and saw representatives from a host of organisations including Bradford Council, the Alzheimer’s Society, health care agencies and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, coming together to tackle the “stigma” surrounding dementia.

Organisers hope Bradford will become of the first dementia-friendly districts in the country.

Tony Oates, a former civil engineer of Brighouse, who was diagnosed with dementia 18 months ago, gave a moving and honest account to the conference of what it is like to have the disease.

“I can’t remember when my wife and I noticed there was something wrong. I think that’s the key thing, I couldn’t remember certain things any more,” he said.

“People push you to answer questions and to try to remember things and I just would walk into another room and start to cry. It’s not easy for a man to admit he cries.

“It is easy to get mixed up with things. I remember going to the bank and it was closed, so I went to the cash point outside. I put my card in and just couldn’t think of my pin number and it gave my card back out. This happened a further two times and it took my card.

“Speaking as a sufferer, I think it is tremendous the work which is trying to be achieved here. I think this is a great move to help people like me in Bradford.”

The event was hosted by the University of Bradford, which has an international reputation for its concern with ensuring quality of life and care for people with dementia. It was hosted by professor Murna Downs, chairman of dementia studies at the university.

According to the Alzheimer’s Society there are 6,000 people in the Bradford district with dementia, with a little more than half of them without a formal diagnosis.

The Telegraph & Argus has been championing dignity for older people through our With Respect campaign.