NEWSLETTER
February 2025 Issue
INTRODUCTION
We never tire of sharing photographs and videos from Thursday mornings because every week provides us with memorable moments of joy: who can forget the wonderful Grace on Zoom teaching the schoolchildren her moves to ‘Top of the World’? In this New Year edition of our
newsletter we share some of these moments as well as news which the Trustees feel, in some way, is relevant and supplementary to what we do on a weekly basis. It is a reminder that we not only sing and dance but attempt to provide support and companionship to our community of friends in whatever circumstances they find themselves and new friends join us each week.
Each January our Board of Trustees meets to review our current work but also to look ahead in planning for the coming 12 months. We are ever-alert to feedback and suggestions received from carers and those living with dementia but also, because we continue to promote DSO as being “open to anyone, anywhere”.We never tire of sharing photographs and videos from Thursday mornings because every week provides us with memorable moments of joy: who can forget the wonderful Grace on Zoom teaching the schoolchildren her moves to ‘Top of the World’? In this New Year edition of our
NEWS FROM RECENT THURSDAY MORNINGS:
“THE BEST TIME OF THE WEEK”:
Already in the New Year we have welcomed our favourite photographer and old friend Charlie Ward. Charlie provided us with our very first series of graphics back in 2019 and he has the knack of capturing the unmistakable spirit of DSO. Another old friend, Claire a reporter from Anglia News who has previously survived one of our ‘lively’ Christmas parties, this time followed a number of ‘back stories’ such as Sandy and Michael’s weekly experience.
NEWS FROM RECENT THURSDAY MORNINGS:
Already in the New Year we have welcomed our favourite photographer and old friend Charlie Ward. Charlie provided us with our very first series of graphics back in 2019 and he has the knack of capturing the unmistakable spirit of DSO. Another old friend, Claire a reporter from Anglia News who has previously survived one of our ‘lively’ Christmas parties, this time followed a number of ‘back stories’ such as Sandy and Michael’s weekly experience.
some New Year additions to our weekly playlist and speaking to Gareth about trying some of your suggestions. Indeed, one of our plans for 2025 is to have a monthly session which focuses on themes and/or advance requests for songs which have special meaning and memories for individuals.
LATEST EVIDENCE OF THURSDAY MORNING BEING
“THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK”
SUPPORT & THANKS
As Trustees we wish to thank you again for the continuing support, financial or personal, which has enabled DSO’s commitment to ‘free’ sessions to continue even when so many have to struggle with the cost of living. We are often asked about donations, and we do have a JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/dementiasingsout which includes the facility to add Gift Aid to your donation.
Shortly before Christmas we gratefully received a collection from Wellingborough Golf Club as a thanks for the carol singing by our Wellingborough Community Gospel Choir. As Trustees we attended the
Northampton Community Foundation Awards Evening at the Royal Theatre in Northampton and we were humbled to win the award for the Happy and Healthy Communities Award; not only that but one of our wonderful volunteers Alan Mason won, what we thought was the best dancer award but was actually Volunteer of the Year. The Northampton Community Foundation itself has continued its generous support with an acceptance of our bid for a Constance Travis Endowment fund grant which will allow us to continue to thrive. Gareth, himself, also won an award for outstanding contribution to music in the County at the Northamptonshire Music Awards.
NEW YEAR NEXT STEPS
Across our five years of weekly joy one of the unique initiatives of which we are so proud is that of links with local schools. Again shortly before Christmas two local Wellingborough schools, Ruskin Infants and Wellingborough Prep School joined us and we will be welcoming them back in 2025. The feedback “we have had numerous parents telling us of the positive impact the visit to DSO has had and sparked many thoughtful chats around evening supper tables” confirms one of the reasons why this is an ongoing commitment by DSO.
We have stated repeatedly that social prescribing is something to which DSO wishes to contribute. Trustees continue to attend networking support group meetings which promote agencies, groups and organisations working together. This even extends to contacts with dementia researchers. Trustees have recently attended a lecture on the neuroscience of Music by Dr Helen Nuttall of Lancaster University. So much of what we heard confirmed what we see weekly (“The brain loves Music”) and it was fascinating to hear scientific confirmation that music could provide, if not an alternative to pharmaceutical drug responses, certainly a significant component.
REMINDERS
We continue to believe that our on-line Zoom facility is an essential part of what we do. Even if it provides just one person with an hour of contact each week then it is worth retaining. As a matter of interest our average is for 5 Care homes and 8 private screens. A reminder that the link is available and has brought together family and friends from as far afield as Australia. At times we are challenged by technical issues but we encourage you to stick with it.
Weekly Zoom Log-In Details:
Topic: DSO Virtual Choir
Time: This is a recurring link
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89552573170?pwd=Y2hrWDBHRmx1NWVIUG54Z1dMUmJOdz09
Meeting ID: 895 5257 3170
Password: DSO
We are currently involved in discussions to revamp our DSO website http://dementiasingsout.org/ and we will continue to provide updates on our Facebook and Instagram pages and encourage you to engage in our updates and content and share it with you friends and family.
Cathie, Judith, Kathryn, Baz, Lucy, Ruth, Garry & Steve.
1st February 2025