The group meets from 10am to 11.30am on Mondays at a large practice room at the Wiltshire Music Centre. It has been led by Caroline Radcliffe since it started in 2010. Like all our groups, the first half hour is reserved for refreshments and a chance to catch up socially, with the singing starting at 10.30am.
The group is very sociable, meeting informally for coffee and outings over the summer when the group is not funded. Members have taken part in several flash-mob choirs, sang at the switch on of Trowbridge lights and at the town's first dementia friendly carol service.
Why take part
Singing together in a supportive, friendly group is uplifting, enjoyable and hugely therapeutic for people living with dementia and family carers alike.
Music is a powerful connector that helps people with dementia communicate, express feelings and share moments of joy, poignancy and remembrance together with others. It appears to 'unlock' parts of the brain, allowing people to retain song words and melodies longer than other memories, and this is what we build on at our Music for the Mind groups in Wiltshire.
What you can expect
The 90-minute sessions are carefully structured to be both stimulating and fun. Although well-loved classics are part of the mix, we also learn new songs, sing rhymes and action songs that help physical , and tackle harmonies, rounds and partner songs.
