Soap star Angela Lonsdale has urged people in Birmingham to sign up and raise money for people living with dementia in this year’s Bupa Great Birmingham Run.

Angela, best known for her role in Coronation Street and more recently in Doctors, was in the city on Tuesday to encourage people to support Alzheimer’s Society, Bupa’s nominated charity for the third year running. She said, “It’s good to be back in Birmingham, a city I got to know well when filming the programme Doctors. My mother died with dementia so I know what a cruel condition it is and the devastating effect it has on families. That’s why I’m here supporting Alzheimer’s Society. Money raised for the charity will be used to help support people with dementia and their carers today and fund research to find a cure for tomorrow. Sign up for Bupa Great Birmingham Run and you can help change people’s lives.”

There are more than 10,000 people in the Birmingham area living with dementia, yet there are currently nowhere near enough services available to meet their needs. Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Society said: “In ten years time there will be more than 12,000 people in Birmingham and a million in the UK living with dementia, so it is something that will affect us all at some time. Money raised will help Alzheimer’s Society provide vital services for people with dementia and their carers.”

This is the third consecutive year Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer Scotland have been Bupa’s nominated charities. By the end of 2011, they hope to have raised £3.5million to fight the disease.