Northwich Salvation Army invites singers to first dementia-friendly carol service

Christmas officially arrives at the Northwich Salvation Army at 2pm on 12 December with the church’s very first dementia-friendly carol concert, and everyone’s invited.

Church leader, Captain Becky Ward is heading up the celebratory Christmas service for people living with dementia and anyone who just wants to sing for joy this coming festive season.

Northwich church has been at the forefront of The Salvation Army’s mission to offer a welcoming and understanding place for people living with dementia and their families, friends and carers. Staff and volunteers have recently attended a Dementia Awareness Event, working in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, to learn more about some of the challenges people with the disease face and to become ‘dementia friends’.

The dementia-friendly carol service is just the start of a whole new chapter for Northwich Salvation Army. The church aims to hold many more events that are accessible for all; to help promote inclusion and understanding of everyone within the community and combat loneliness and social isolation.

In early 2019 Northwich plans regular ‘Singing By Heart’ therapeutic singing sessions to give people living with dementia a chance to reconnect to memories as they sing along to popular songs and hymns with their friends and family members. 

Captain Becky Ward, Corps Officer of Northwich Salvation Army, said:

“Everyone knows someone with dementia and far too many of them can end up being excluded from the everyday activities we all take for granted because they can be overwhelming or bewildering, so I’m thrilled that we are having a carol service this year for them specifically.

“Next year we’re really looking forward to starting up our Singing By Heart sessions, which we hope lots of people living with dementia will come to with their friends and family.”

The Dementia-Friendly carol service takes place at 2pm on 12 December at Northwich Salvation Army, Tabley Street, Northwich, CW9 5DP. Entrance is free and there’s no need to book ahead.

 

More information is available about Dementia Friends is available on the Alzheimer’s Society