Dementia Chorus with Age UK Hythe, Lyminge & Ashford begins

Autumn 2024 has heralded the beginning of a new partnership between Bright Shadow, and Age UK Hythe, Lyminge & Ashford. We’re delighted to be offering a weekly Dementia Chorus in Hythe.

Led by Bright Shadow artist and community choir leader, Emily Watts, the Dementia Chorus is providing an opportunity for people living with dementia and their supporters to sing together in a fun and relaxed environment. The group is going from strength to strength, recently we held our busiest rehearsal to date with 28 singers in attendance!

The choir sings a range of material from The Beatles to Abba, Tom Jones to Bill Withers and are learning fast, with nearly 20 songs covered in the first 7 sessions. Participants make suggestions each week as to what songs they want to include in their repertoire so that Bright Shadow’s values of co-creation and being person-centred remains at the core of all that we do. Songs are chosen with accessibility in mind, for example, making sure they are in a comfortable key for everyone to be able to sing the tune. For some songs, we have been able to split the group to be able to sing two or three parts and group members have enjoyed the accessible challenge, whilst being supported to achieve something new.

The chorus is also proving to be a highlight of the week for many people, one participant commented that they had “looked forward to the choir all week and wished it was on every day!” Amy Glen, the Dementia and Me Organiser based at Age UK Hythe, Lyminge & Ashford and supports the choir every week says, “it’s so heart-warming to see it come together. Such a highlight of my working week to see people living with Dementia enjoying singing so much.”

Funding for Dementia Chorus currently continues into the first half of 2025, when we hope to hold the choir’s first performance.