Hi there! 

It's been a while since our last newsletter and the choir has been up to so many exciting things that it's hard to know where to start with this update!

We had a fantastic time singing at Binks Yard with Sam Bailey, performing at the Splendour Festival in Nottingham, and singing for Angela Rippon when she officially opened Harrier House Care Home.

In August, we had the honour of singing for Vicky McClure and Jonny Owen's first dance at their wedding, which was undoubtedly a highlight of the year. We also performed at the National Television Awards in September!

We welcomed several new members to the choir and four babies to the extended choir family! Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to some much-loved members, but the choir keeps moving forward, taking all the highs and lows in their stride.

We'll keep you updated on our social media channels and website. You can now check out our upcoming events, which are open to the public, and purchase tickets here: Upcoming Events | Our Dementia Choir

Much love,

The ODC Team

xxx

In Memory of Our Choir Members

It is with great sadness that we have had to say goodbye to another one of our choir members who has recently passed away.

Ken Webster was a cherished member of Our Dementia Choir. Ken's participation in the Choir was a testament to his enduring love for music and its transformative power in his life. Ken's warm smile, infectious laughter, and unwavering dedication to the choir left an indelible mark on all of us.

It’s time to flaunt those feathers, fringes and gangster outfits and join us as we step back into the glamour and glitz of the 1920‘s and the golden age of jazz. We can’t wait to perform at this event on the 11th of November, there will also be live music from one of the UK’s top touring jazz and swing bands, The Easy Rollers, you’ll be transported back in time to the prohibition era!

Your support can help us continue to share our message and invite more individuals living with Dementia to join us. Our rehearsals and performances provide our members and their caregivers with much-needed well-being boosts, allowing them to genuinely experience moments of joy.

We've had some fantastic donations and fundraising achievements and would like to thank a few of our supporters and friends of Our Dementia Choir below.

Fundraisers

Siobhan Stevenitt organised the Memory Ball 2023 and raised £2,000.

Karen Bonser's Birthday Fundraiser reached £665.

Gleeds Treasure Hunt raised £2,767.

Susan Winter (Alice's Angels) completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge raising £3,587.

Emma Walker did the Nottingham Memory Walk in honour of her Grandad and past choir member Ken raising £565.

Alysha Cooper ran the Manchester Half Marathon and raised £230.

Alan Hopkins rode France end-2-end on a bike raising £1,399.

Gemma Cook (Hodgies Heroes) completed the 4 Peak Challenge in the Peak District raising £1,069.

Jemima Osborne ran 50k in September raising £265.

Ongoing Supporters

Portland College provides regular rehearsal space and a fantastic buffet lunch for all the carers, choir members, and crew.

In Loving Memory

Thank you to all the families who chose to raise money for the choir in memory of their loved ones:

Ken Webster

Thank you to everyone who has made donations at our performances and on our Just Giving page, we couldn't continue without your support.

Fundraising for Our Dementia Choir doesn't necessarily require organising a bake sale or running a marathon. There are many simple ways to help us raise funds, and one of them is by purchasing an extra gift to donate to us this year.

We will use your donation to organise raffles and raise funds for our charity.

Did you know you can sponsor a rehearsal for Our Dementia Choir and attend yourself? 

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Meet the choir & crew at your sponsored rehearsal, take your picture with us, and be announced as a supporter on our social media channels.

We hold a rehearsal every fortnight for the choir and their carers to attend and practice with each other and their choir leaders. These sessions are not only necessary for choir members to practice their dazzling performances, but they're also vital to help those living with Dementia to benefit from the amazing power of music therapy. 

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Every rehearsal is a lively social gathering where friends are made, but it might also be the only time some carers get to talk with others who know what it's like to look after someone with Dementia. 

​You have the unique opportunity to support this event, help to provide this lifeline, and help with the cost of some of the more practical considerations.

A crucial part of the work at Alzheimer’s Society is advocating for, and funding dementia research. They want to help everyone living with dementia today and provide hope for the future. 

Last year, the Alzheimer's Society updated us on the exciting news regarding the positive lecanemab drug trails and the Government’s recommitment to the Dementia Mission. Now, a few months later, they have more news to share. 

In the Spring Budget, the Government pledged to reform how the UK regulates medicines and medical technology. This is a huge step for people affected by dementia, but what does this actually mean? 

From 2024, the agency which approves drugs for use in the UK will have the potential to make new treatments accessible sooner through rapid sign off for medicines and technology that have already been approved by trusted regulators around the world. 

This news couldn’t come at a better time for people living with dementia, with the development of new treatments and investment in research. However, this positive step needs to come in conjunction with an urgency to prepare the NHS for such treatments and to accelerate improvements in diagnosis – calls which we are already making to Government. 

Ode to a Tree

I once stood next to that beautiful tree

When I think of that place it’s all that I see

Monumental and bold

Twisted and old

A symbol of all wild and free

I once walked past that beautiful tree

Now it has gone, no longer to be 

But it’s roots in the ground

Will forever be bound 

To the place where it brought hope to me

By Kate Tweedie

A team from The Office of Public Guardian visited one of our rehearsals and this is what they had to say afterwards:

"Firstly I would like to give my thanks for allowing myself and some of my team to attend the dementia choir rehearsals on Tuesday. I know that I speak for not only myself but my team when I say it was a truly unforgettable experience. All of the volunteers, the family and carers and the dementia choir were so kind, caring and helpful. The love and support being offered to each other was so overwhelming and is an experience we will never forget! I have fed back to my other team members who were not able to attend who will be coming on the 3 October and they are really looking forward to it.

Thank you again 

Becka"

If you would like any advice or support from the Office of Public Guardian, feel free to contact Becka:
 

Rebecca Rowson

Team leader, Lay team 2 

T 0115 934 2700 (option 2)

Rebecca.Rowson@publicguardian.gov.uk

The annual West End Does: Christmas concerts are a spectacular festive treat not to be missed, featuring an exciting cast of West End stars, joined by special guests Our Dementia Choir, and hosted by the fabulous Ella Vaday.

A matinee and evening show is available.

Letter from The RT.HON. Mark Spencer. MP

Our Charity Manager, Karen Bonser, has been lobbying her local MP for updates on Alzheimer's research funding.

A small step in the right direction

Recently NHS England started publishing the number of people formally diagnosed with dementia before the age of 65 years, irrespective of their current age.  
 

Why does that matter? People living with young onset dementia and their families need good support and information from the time symptoms develop in mid-life through to the end of their lives which may be in their late 60s or older. They continue living with the different impact of young onset dementia throughout. There is no cut off at age 65.
 

So it is important that all who have responsibility for making sure that people with young onset dementia can draw on support understand the real demand and accurate data helps.  
 

That’s why it matters.

Tessa Gutteridge

Chair, Young Dementia Network

Dementia is an umbrella term for diseases that cause a decline in cognitive abilities such as memory and other thinking skills; however, dementia also affects behaviour, feelings, and relationships. People living with dementia sometimes experience psychological symptoms like anxiety, apathy, depression, or distress.

In the HOMESIDE study, we wanted to find out whether family caregivers could use music and reading activities with the person with dementia they care for to help alleviate these psychological symptoms. We were inspired by the success of professional therapists using music therapy in nursing homes and wanted to know if family caregivers could achieve similar benefits at home.

Step into a world of warmth, nostalgia, and beautiful music as we invite you to our heartwarming "Sing with us this Christmas." This special event has been lovingly crafted by Our Dementia Choir to create an unforgettable evening of joy, connection, and musical delight.

This is a unique and heartwarming experience for those living with dementia, their families, and the broader community. The concert celebrates the power of music to evoke emotions and bridge the gap between past and present. It provides an opportunity for all to come together, enjoy the spirit of the festive season, and create lasting memories.

Join us for an enchanting evening of unity, love, and music. Let us celebrate the harmony that exists in our memories, and the joy that music can bring to our hearts. "Sing with us this Christmas" is an event that promises to touch your soul and create cherished memories for years to come whilst raising much needed funds for the Our Dementia Choir Charity.

Join Our Dementia Choir for our Power of Music Concert 20th February 2024. Tickets are on sale now!