Scottish dementia care campaigner Tommy Whitelaw has been awarded the British Citizen's Award for services to healthcare in recognition of his work.

Mr Whitelaw, who became a full time carer for five years after his late mother Joan, was diagnosed vascular dementia, has become well known as a tireless advocate of the needs of those who care for family members with the condition.

In 2011 he undertook a marathon walk arond Scotland's towns and cities collecting hundreds of life story letters from the families of people with dementia. Now he is head of the dementia carer voices project at the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (Alliance).

British Citizen Awards are independent awards in recognition of people who make a difference in society, designed to be more accessible than the honours system.

Alliance Director Irene Oldfather said: "Tommy is a tireless campaigner, raising awareness of dementia across the UK and advocating for carers rights. He inspires a greater understanding of what it is like to care for someone who has dementia, and through sharing his personal experiences, he changes the hearts and minds of people in the process."

Dr Joyce Cavaye, Senior Lecturer Faculty of Health & Social Care at the Open University who nominated Mr Whitelaw said: "What is astounding about this is that Tommy has achieved a huge amount in a relatively short period of time and has certainly influenced practice quicker and to a greater extent than managers, researchers and policymakers."