Bradford took a step closer to becoming a dementia-friendly city yesterday when five organisations pledged to do more to help people with dementia and their carers live well.

The Co-operative Group, Bradford Church of England Diocese, Shipley-based Health Action Local Engagement, community arts organisation The Hive and Bolton Road Gurdwara have joined forces to support people with dementia by taking some simple steps to make their services more accessible.

Other organisations across the city have also expressed an interest in joining the Alzheimer’s Society project which is supported by Bradford Council and was unveiled at City Hall yesterday.

Members of Bradford Dementia Action Alliance will create action plans to help people with dementia and their carers.

It was started in March by Prime Minister David Cameron and Bradford was cited as a district leading the way, along with Plymouth, Northamptonshire and Torbay.

Representatives of the organisations joined the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Dale Smith, and people with dementia and their carers at City Hall to meet and hear more about the work going on.

Cathy Henwood, project leader for the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “The aim is to encourage all sorts of businesses and organisations to think about how they support people in the community who have dementia because people want to carry on living their everyday lives so they don’t feel stigmatised and get the support to live as well as possible with their condition. It is about dignity and respect.”

Co-operative membership officer Linda Gomila said: “The Co-operative is pleased to support the Alzheimer’s Society in Bradford. We have hosted a tour around a local store with people with dementia and carers, with a view to understanding what could be done to support them to remain active in the community for as long as possible.

“It was really interesting to hear what they had to say about how their shopping experience could be improved and to realise that we, as a community retailer, are able to help and support in all sorts of small ways.”

Jean Brunt, of Girlington, who cares for her husband Richard, who has dementia, has been part of the project steering group.

She said: “Creating dementia-friendly communities is so important because it allows people living with dementia to enjoy life and be able to do the same things as everybody else and be accepted in their local communities.

“We are people who have this horrible thing called dementia, but we are still people.”