Carers of people with dementia are being invited to a buffet lunch.

The Worthing and District Branch of the Alzheimer's Society are celebrating Alzheimer's Awareness Week by inviting carers of people with dementia to a special buffet lunch sponsored by the drug company Janssen-Cilag with the help of the Worthing Community Mental Health Team for Older People.

Branch chairman Peter Delamere said: "We are very pleased to be hosting this event to celebrate the week and hope many of the families we support in the community will join us on the day."

The Worthing and District Branch has more than 250 members.

It supports them in the community by offering services such as the Relief Care Scheme, regular monthly carers meetings, outings, monthly members meetings and newsletters.

The invitations to the buffet lunch have gone out to all those receiving the Respite Care Service and those people that attended the recent carers dementia training courses run in partnership with the Worthing Community Mental Health Team for Older People.

Alzheimer's Awareness Week runs nationally in July to promote awareness and understanding of dementia and the effects these diseases can have on people, their carers, families and friends.

This year's theme is Working It Out Together.

Mr Delamere said: "New research is helping us to fill the gaps in our knowledge and understanding of what causes dementia - and we're getting closer to finding a cure.

"While anyone can develop dementia, research tells us that the best way of helping to protect your brain against dementia is to keep mind and body active and healthy."

For information and support on all forms of dementia, contact the local branch of the Alzheimer's Society.

Collections are also being made throughout Worthing and the surrounding area, at selected sites on various dates in July.

The lunch is next Wednesday from 1pm to 3pm at the Alzheimer's Resource Centre, 27 Stone Lane, Worthing.