Independent Arts has secured 3 years of funding for SingAbout, an Island-wide project providing regular weekly singing clubs for older people living with a range of conditions including dementia and social isolation.
The £117,900 grant from The Henry Smith Charity will go towards the running costs of the SingAbout project.
SingAbout was developed in 2010 to focus on the needs of our increasingly elderly population and in particular issues around social isolation, dementia and loneliness. Now, over 500 elderly people attend sessions every week, participating in social singing groups that not only allow friendships to flourish but also can improve mental, physical and cognitive health.
The 2-hour free sessions, in church and community halls, include an important half-hour tea break where people can chat to each other. The singing is directed by trained musicians who have extensive experience in working with older people and those with dementia. The sessions are open to all older people who wish to maintain memory, improve mood, breathing, movement, speech and confidence, or who are lonely and want someone to share a cup of tea with once a week.
Sadly, for many participants SingAbout is their only form of social activity so securing a further 3 years of provision is a most welcome result.
A report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Arts, Health and Wellbeing found that music therapy reduces agitation and the need for medical medication in 67% of people living with dementia.
Over the past 8 years the project has been supported by multiple funders and is most recently part of the Age Friendly Island programme.
Megan Jones, Head of Ageing Better at Age UK has said:
“We are delighted that the SingAbout project has secured longer-term funding. SingAbout is a life-enhancing activity and the Ageing Better programme, funded by the national lottery community fund, will continue to work together with Independent Arts providing these much-needed experiences to our most vulnerable members of society”.
If you are interested in joining SingAbout or you are a carer for someone you feel may benefit from participating visit www.independentarts.org.uk, email [email protected] or call 01983 822437.
Lovely to hear that this much-loved and needed project is to continue. It would be great if these activities are embedded within our health provision – let’s hope that more funding can be sourced so SingAbout can benefit many, many more older and vulnerable people 🙂