Members of the public who want to find out more about dementia are being asked to attend a major public meeting in Belfast next month.

The meeting is being organised by the University of Ulster and is supported by the charity, Alzheimer's Research UK. According to the charity, over 2,500 people in Belfast have dementia.

"With an increasingly ageing population, there is a desperate need to understand dementia and develop effective new treatments to stop it. We hope this event will provide the opportunity for people to talk to scientists, ask questions and see the real impact that research can have on the lives of those with dementia," explained Dr Laura Phipps of Alzheimer's Research UK.

The meeting, which takes place on March 11, will include feature displays and short talks about dementia research. It will coincide with the opening day of the charity's 2013 conference, which will see dementia experts from all over the world travelling to Belfast to discuss their latest findings.

According to Gillian Conlane of the charity's Northern Ireland Research Network, ‘there is lots of fantastic research taking place in Northern Ireland'.

"We want to invite members of the public to come along for the afternoon and find out more about the research taking place on their doorstep. As well as talks about dementia, there will also be local dementia support organisations and the chance to speak to researchers about their work," she said.

The meeting is open to everyone and no booking is required. It will take place in the Europa Hotel in Belfast on Monday, March 11, between 4pm and 6pm.

For more information, email gm.conlane@ulster.ac.uk.

For more information on dementia, see our Alzheimer's Clinic here