September 2026 Issue
“A room full of joy, love and laughter each week”
Introduction
As Trustees we continue to be acutely aware of the contribution made by our volunteers and how the success of DSO over the last 7 years has been built upon their invaluable commitment. So it is with an immense sense of pride that in this latest edition of our regular DSO newsletter we begin with the news that we have been nominated for the final round of consideration for The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Recognised as the highest honour in this field in the country, we are one of the five finalists in Northamptonshire. The final announcement will be on 14th November, King Charles’ birthday. Whatever the outcome, we are tremendously proud to have reached this level of recognition for what is above all a team effort by all who give their time each week for the community.
Thursday mornings
In true British fashion the weather has dominated our lives to an even greater extent this summer, with temperatures regularly exceeding 35 degrees, especially, it would appear, on Thursdays. Even though the recent extreme weather conditions appear now to be a more distant memory, inevitably we will be complaining about the rain and cold.
However, it is worth reminding ourselves of how we handled the challenging conditions when it would have been easier to cancel sessions. We carried out risk assessments and adapted a number of features, including more water being available, shorter and slower songs, dedicated water breaks and extra ventilation. There are lessons learned when conducting our risk assessments which we can carry forward to the winter, when no doubt adverse weather conditions of a different kind will test us.
We will always attempt to make an early decision, at least 24 hours’ notice, about likely cancellation and communicate this via the DSO website as well as emailing those for whom we hold contact details. Obviously we do require up-to-date email addresses.
DSO Northampton
“There are insufficient words to describe the spirit that is DSO”, or as a visitor suggested, “we should have a DSO in every county”. Well, we have been pondering this recent feedback and, whilst not quite following the specific instruction, this month we are embarking upon an initiative which captures the exciting flavour of DSO.
We could very easily sit back, do what we do every week and pat ourselves on the back. However, we have decided to experiment for 3 months and run an extra weekly session at The Abbey Centre Chapel in East Hunsbury, each Monday morning 10.30am until 12.00 noon, led by our old friend Simon from Sunset Magic.
We will be running a session for those in and around Northampton, or indeed from further afield, or even for those who come to Compass Church each Thursday. Other than the session being headed by Simon and not Gareth, the only other difference will be that for the moment we will not be running the sessions on Zoom.
Thursday feedback
We have been delighted with the extensive positive feedback which you have provided about every aspect of the DSO experience. We acknowledge that there are always going to be some elements of the weekly experience upon which we can build. For example, we have been made aware of some disappointment on the part of our weekly Zoom users because of variable sound and camera angle issues. Gareth is aware of this and has continued to work to rectify it, including the purchase of new IT equipment including a new camera. Interestingly, 90% of respondents expressed supportive views on the facilities at Compass Church.
We have digested comments and passed on to Gareth comments about the content of sessions and specifically calls (65%) for introducing new songs into our playlists. An interesting suggestion (40% of respondents) was for a completely new playlist once every month.
We hope to respond to the requests for more themed mornings: 65% asked us to consider Abba, Country and Western, and Songs from the Shows during 2027. It is a deliberate Trustee policy to vary our Thursday sessions for our members’ benefit, so polish off your cowboy boots and platform boots, rescue your tiaras from the attic and liberate those shoulder pads from the back of the wardrobe.
Weekly Thursday attendance
We gather attendance data every week and our recent Thursday in-person attendance averages 120, which includes an average of 4 care homes who transport their residents.
We continue to believe that our online Zoom facility is central to what we do in Thursday sessions by providing remote access. The dedicated link is unchanged.
Weekly Zoom log-in details
Topic: DSO Virtual Choir
Time: this is a recurring link
Join the Zoom meeting
Meeting ID: 895 5257 3170
Password: DSO
We have continued to attract a weekly average of 12 to 15 Zoom screens, though in practice this amounts to a further 50 to 60 people in this medium.
Volunteer focus: Lisiane Cecile-Sims
We never tire of stating that our volunteers are the heartbeat of DSO, and in the last couple of newsletters we have provided some background on those who you perhaps only see once a week boogieing around the dance floor or supplying you with tea, coffee and cake. In this edition we provide an insight into our own pocket rocket, Lisiane.
“I arrived in the UK in 1976 from Mauritius as a teenager, joining my mother who had travelled here eight years previously. I have lived in and around Wellingborough ever since and undertaken a variety of jobs, from being a croupier to shift work at Whitworths, but most of my adult life has revolved around catering, with a stint of nearly twenty years in the Wellingborough School catering department. More recently I have branched out in a new direction and work as an adult facilitator. It was whilst I was at Wellingborough School that I joined the Wellingborough Community Gospel Choir in 2012. Perhaps it was therefore almost preordained that I should find myself involved with Dementia Sings Out.
I recall asking Mrs Bowe, one of the trustees, if I could help out with the DSO Christmas Party in 2022. From there I became involved with the weekly gathering at Compass Church. I get tremendous pleasure and comfort through community singing, and here was an opportunity to give something back. I have always felt an affinity with the older generation.
Dementia is a devastating condition, affecting around 1.5% of the population, but each week through DSO I can bring a brief period of respite for both the carers and those living with the condition. For me it is far from being a one-way process: I see and feel the joy and happiness we bring, and that in turn gives me a truly wonderful sense of fulfilment. I sing and dance and talk to everyone and cannot adequately describe the joy it brings me to be greeted by those with dementia. The smiles, the hugs, the warmth each week brings is beyond compare.
Since joining, together with my husband Christopher, I have helped raise funds for DSO through my running of half marathons, in particular the Cambridge, Oxford and Milton Keynes half marathons, and I hope that I will be able to continue to do this in the future.”
And finally
We are in the process of planning for our annual Christmas party, likely to be Thursday 17th December, and we will be sharing details with you soon. Gareth and ourselves will be taking our annual Christmas holidays on Thursday 24th December and Thursday 31st December, returning on Thursday 7th January 2027.
Coming up
Our old rocking friends Roy and the Saracens return on Thursday 17th September, so add this to your diary.
Trustees: Judith, Steve, Baz, Cathie, Ruth, Lucy, Kathryn, Garry
September 2026