The Golden-Oldies charity, founded in Bath by Grenville Jones in 2007, is to launch a special Memory Cafe at St Michael’s Church, to help those living with dementia or early-stage Alzheimer’s.
Initially there were four daytime Sing&Smile sessions for older isolated people in Bath and Keynsham Community Rooms. Now, 11 years on, there are over 160 sessions across England and Wales, reaching out to thousands of people.
As the sessions grow across the country, there has also been an increasing number of attendees who are adults living with dementia or early-stage Alzheimer’s.
On Wednesday 14th November, a new pilot project will be launched – the Memory Café at St Michael’s Church.
The project will be financially supported by St John’s Hospital and working in partnership with St Michael’s Church and the B&NES Dementia Action Alliance.
Grenville Jones explained: “Everyone is welcome at a Goldies session but as we have grown in recent years we have noticed that more and more people attending the session are in the early stages of dementia, a major issue and growing concern in society today.
“This, our first Memory Café, is specifically designed for people living with dementia and their Carers to attend.
“The sessions will take place at St Michaels opposite Waitrose on the second Wednesday of every month and we hope that people across Bath & North East Somerset will spread the word to everyone who may be affected by dementia and who they feel could benefit from attending.
“The songs have been specifically chosen and it is our hope that this will be the first of a number of Memory Cafes that the Golden-Oldies Charity will open in the years ahead.
“We are indebted to St John’s Hospital for their support of this new programme and the community spirit of Rev. Roger Driver and everyone at St Michaels.”
The Memory Café at St Michael’s in Bath will take place from 11am until 12.15pm and will be led by Steve Lawrence.
Everyone is welcome and with the café open in the church, there’s the chance to stay on for lunch after the session.
For further details of the work of the charity, its sessions and projects, see: www.golden-oldies.org.uk.
