HMT Sancta Maria Hospital Continues to Support Musical Memories Choir

HMT Sancta Maria Hospital has pledged to continue its support for the Swansea-based Musical Memories Choir for a fifth consecutive year. As a not-for-profit organisation, the hospital invests surplus funds back into the local community.

The Musical Memories Choir is a weekly group for people living with dementia and those who care for them. The choir usually meets in West Cross and Manselton and regularly attracts more than 130 members.

At present, the choir are unable to meet physically but they are keeping their community together through new virtual services to keep members engaged. The choir has launched a new website and Facebook page and has recorded a new CD and accompanying songbook which is being posted to all members and local care homes.

The group also hold virtual choir sessions each weekday and project leader, Helen Hunter, has been filming virtual walks and facilitating a lending library of jigsaws, books and activities to keep people with dementia active while they are at home.

Helen comments: “This is such a tough time for all of us but people living with dementia and family carers are facing particularly difficult challenges. Many of our choir members are shielding due to their age and other medical conditions. My plan for choir is that we will continue to release Musical Memories Choir at home sessions five days a week, virtual fresh air walks and offer support on the phone and by lending resources. We are also planning to make a DVD of our choir leader, Ros, in order to enable people without access to computers or smart phones to enjoy singing at home.”

When it is safe to do so, it is hoped that the choir will resume their meet-ups but in smaller groups.

Geoff Bailey, Hospital Director of Sancta Maria Hospital comments: “We are proud to continue to fund the important work that the Musical Memories choir does in Swansea. It’s great to see that the choir has risen to the current challenges we are all facing and continues to provide a vital service for its members. We look forward to seeing how they grow and develop over the coming year.”

For more information on HMT Sancta Maria and their not-for-profit work visit www.hmtsanctamaria.org