On a wet, windy night at the Whitty Theatre in Wokingham the Younger People with Dementia charity Harmony Choir, made up of people with working-age dementia, their carers, charity volunteers and staff presented a festive annual showcase to the general public, friends and family.
This charity event aims to raise awareness of working-age dementia, and to raise funds to support those across Berkshire with this progressive illness.
Now in its eighth year a sell-out audience watched the choir of 50-strong sing well-known Christmas tunes and classic pop songs, supported by duo Blue Turning Grey and London based Saxelerate, a saxophone group who played festive classics with a jazz twist.
A number of choir members had written poems to perform on the evening, highlighting their own challenges in having been diagnosed with dementia under 65 and how their time spent with the YPWD charity has helped them to gain confidence, make friends and live life to the full.
One carer, whose husband uses the charity’s services and sings in the choir said ‘Going to a weekly group gives Mike structure to his week, a song in his head and a big smile. I look forward to catching up with other carers, sharing coping strategies and finding some humour, even in the sadness of our situations.’
The event was an incredible example as to how the power of music and song has a positive effect on people diagnosed with dementia and the choir’s charity staff member Claire Watts explains that ‘The choir’s lead, Brie, challenges everyone to try new things and to believe in their own abilities with one member recently telling me that at the end of the weekly choir workshop he almost floats out of the door at the end of his time singing.’
The charity are also extremely grateful to local businesses, including Kingdom Coffee, who were incredibly generous in donating all the tea, coffee, sundries and kit to refresh the audience, and others that donated gifts for the raffle including GWR trains, Waitrose, Odeon cinema, Nando’s and Tesco.
This annual event allows the charity to create a focal point to highlight the very talented people that benefit from using its services, while reaching out to the general public to increase awareness of working-age dementia.
If you’d like to find out more about the charity and its unique services please visit www.ypwd.info
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