Goldies launch new Dementia Friendly session

PRESS RELEASE
Monday, March 6, 2017
Since its launch in Bath 10 years ago the Golden-Oldies Charity has grown from four original daytime singing and activity sessions in community rooms to over 150 across England and Wales. 
‘Goldies’, as it is fondly known, now reaches out to hundreds of older vulnerable people through its regular daytime sessions and award-winning intergenerational schools programme. Those attending vary from older people living in isolation and in recent years founder Grenville Jones has seen an increasing number of adults living with dementia and their carers attending the sessions. 
Grenville said; 
“The Dementia Action Alliance recently reported that there are currently around 4,500 people living with dementia in B&NES and an estimated 10,000 carers. The increasing numbers of people living with dementia is regularly reported across the media and as a charity we know that participation in our singing sessions does make a difference to the lives of those attending.” 
Starting on Monday March 20 Goldies will launch a ‘dementia friendly’ session at The Orangery, 157 Englishcombe Lane, Bath, from 2.30pm-3.30pm this will be a monthly session which is open to people living with dementia and their carers across the area and is in partnership with Cedar Care. They will take place on the third Monday of each month with the next session on April 17. 
Grenville said; 
“Everyone is welcome and we hope that this will be the first of many Dementia Friendly sessions that we will introduce across England and Wales as we continue to grow in the months and years ahead.” 
From small beginnings in Bath the charity now runs its fun sing and smile sessions across the South West, as well as in Essex, the Midlands and North Yorkshire. In England there are plans to introduce Goldies in Liverpool, the Midlands, Devon and Cornwall by the close of 2018. 
Goldies Cymru is the charity’s Wales-based arm and earlier this month the Big Lottery Fund in Wales announced a major grant of £249,000 which will support the develop of 50 new singing and activity sessions across Mid and West Wales in the next three years. 
The charity recently featured in a BBC1 national TV programme entitled ‘Operation People Power’ which has resulted in many calls to the charity’s office enquiring about new UK sessions. 
ENDS 
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.