Now in its third year and falling within Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, the national day was introduced to recognise and celebrate informal dementia carers, while highlighting what it means to be a carer.

The focus of this year’s campaign is sharing. Carers are invited to connect and share their experiences, tips and stories; while members of the public are encouraged to get involved by sharing their appreciation for a dementia carer they know.

Local support organisations, charities and community groups are also being urged to get behind the campaign by spreading awareness and helping to signpost local sources of advice and support using ‪#‎NDCD17.

According to Alzheimer’s Research there are currently around 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, who are being cared for by 700,000 informal carers

Over a third of the population (38pc) know a family member or close friend living with dementia, 39pc of informal carers are estimated to spend more than 100 hours per week caring for the person with dementia.

Plus 61.1pc said they have had no or not enough support

Nicki Bones, from SweetTree Home Care Services, one of the founders of the day, said: “When you’re caring for a loved one with dementia the world can be a very lonely place sometimes and as the disease progresses new challenges can often arise.

“Raising awareness is vital if we are to build dementia-friendly communities. The national day aims to bring people together and to recognise the innovative care that is being provided every single day by informal carers – care which often goes unseen. Families need to know that they’re not alone and what advice and support is available to them.”

For more information about the day and to get involved, go to the website www.nationaldementiacarersday.co.uk, visit the Facebook page www.facebook.com/NationalDementiaCarersDay or tweet using @Dementia_Carers ‪#NDCD17