Manchester Camerata announces relaunch of music cafe to mark Dementia Action Week

Coinciding with Dementia Action Week (Mon 16 May-Sun 22 May) Manchester Camerata has announced the relaunch of its vital Music Cafe at the Monastery in Gorton.

These free, weekly music-making sessions return on Wed 18 May and offer much-needed support to those living with dementia, their families and carers, led by specially-trained, professional Camerata musicians and music therapists, and generously funded by McLay Dementia Trust.

As an orchestra whose dementia-music work is fundamental to its year-round Community programme, the music therapy-based Music cafe sessions are at the very heart of Manchester Camerata’s commitment and intent to create and produce music that matters.

Thanks to the initial success of the music cafe in Gorton, Manchester Camerata has since launched a sister dementia music cafe in Wigan, at the Museum of Wigan Life.

During weekly meet-ups across both sites, new pieces are spontaneously created by the participants through improvised rhythms and songs, guided along the way by Camerata’s professional musicians and therapy team.

The sessions also offer families of those living with dementia a free, safe space to meet others in a similar situation, as well as provide guidance on how music can be used to reconnect with loved ones.

Lizzie Hoskin, Head of Community at Manchester Camerata, says: “We’re so pleased to be able relaunch our Music Cafe this month, in Dementia Action Week. As we saw first-hand when the cafes first began in both Gorton and in Wigan, these music-making sessions make such a positive impact to those living with dementia and also their carers.”