Gareth Malone moved to tears by Jewish Care choir competition for people living with dementia

Celebrity choir conductor Gareth Malone has praised those who took part in Jewish Care’s first choir competition for people living with dementia, saying that singing gave hope to those living with the condition and their families.

Malone, who shot to fame with the award-winning reality TV show The Choir, judged six choirs at the Singing for Joy competition at the Betty and Asher Loftus Centre campus in north London.

On the panel with Jewish Care’s chief executive Daniel Carmel Brown and director of care and housing services Rita Rousso, Malone said at the event: “Today is a beautiful day, seeing people coming together at any age and singing together and being part of a community. We all need that. It gives us hope.”

(l-r) Rita Rousso, Daniel Carmel-Brown, CEO and choir master Gareth Malone OBE are judges at Jewish Care's Singing for Joy competition (Photo: Grainge Photography)[Missing Credit]

Speaking afterwards about the benefits of singing for people with dementia, he said: “When you are living with dementia, singing is one of the few tools we have to help us retain our feelings, our emotions and our personality. I think it is the closest thing to magic. It’s so important for people to have access to fun, and singing is such a great way to do that.”

The groups taking part included those who attend Jewish Care centres for people living with dementia - the Sam Beckman choir in Friern Barnet, the Noé Nightingales choir at the Zalman and Ruchi Noé Centre in Stanmore, and the Dennis Centre’s music group in Redbridge.

Jewish Care’s Singing for Memory groups in Redbridge, Stanmore and Southend, also took part, with choir members singing alongside their carers.

Participants in the Singing for Joy Jewish Care (Grainge Photography)[Missing Credit]

Rita, who attends the music session at Jewish Care’s Dennis Centre in Redbridge, and sang Getting to Know You with her choir, said afterwards: “It was nice to sing a song I knew well. I’m not a great singer, but the music group is a good choice. There’s no judgement. Singing makes me feel relaxed and gives me more confidence.” The group won the Timeless Voices award.

The Showstopper Award went to the Singing for Memory group based on Sandringham Campus in Stanmore, for their performance of Hey Jude.

Malone said to the choir afterwards: “I don’t think I’m going to get through this afternoon without crying. You had the whole community joining in.”

Barry, who attends the choir with his wife, Angela, who has Alzheimer’s disease, said: “Angela comes alive at the group. She talks. She waves her hands. I see her happy and enjoying the company.”

Angela and Barry from Singing for Memory at Sandringham perform at Jewish Care Singing for Joy competition (Photo: Grainge Photography)[Missing Credit]

Jewish Care’s Singing for Memory group in Redbridge walked away with the Best Group Harmony award for their rendition of Any Dream Will Do, which Malone praised for being “very moving” and its “excellent use of percussion”, saying: “I didn’t like it. I loved it!”

Nicole, who goes with her mother, Thomassina, to the choir, said: “As a mother and daughter, joining the singing group is a great way for us to go out and spend time together, doing something that my mum really enjoys. She likes getting out the house and spending time talking to other people. We sing old songs, and she remembers the words. It’s lovely.”

Tanya Miller, Jewish Care’s Community Hub Manager in Friern Barnet, who organised the event, said, “We know that music and singing has huge benefits for people living with dementia. It helps to support and maintain cognitive abilities, reduce anxiety, boost confidence, stimulate memories, help maintain speech and language, as well as allowing people to express themselves, enjoy social interaction and have fun, which our members most definitely do.

Gareth Malone with a Singing for Joy participant (Photo: Grainge Photography)[Missing Credit]

“It’s very important to us that we support and empower people living with dementia to continue to do the things they have loved throughout their lives, as well as to enjoy learning new skills that stimulate them and help to instil confidence.”

At the end of the afternoon, which saw each choir walk away with an award, Jewish Care CEO said: “Days like these make me really proud of the important and meaningful activities we offer throughout our services, which really make a difference to the lives of people living with dementia in the community.”

Singers at Jewish Care's Singing for Joy competition (Photo: Grainge photography)[Missing Credit]

As well as running Singing for Memory groups in Southend, Stanmore and Redbridge, Jewish Care also supports Finchley Reform Synagogue and St Albans Masorti Synagogue to run these groups, and is training other synagogue community volunteers, including those at New North London Synagogue, to deliver sessions embracing the Singing for Memory model. In addition, the charity provides dementia training to all those in the community who wish to learn more about making their services more dementia friendly and inclusive.

Award winners:

Best Group Harmony - Singing for Memory in Redbridge

Most Emotional Performance – The Sam Beckman Choir

The “Feel Good” Factor Award - The Noé Nightingales

Most Creative Interpretation - The Singing for Memory group in Southend

Timeless Voices award – The Dennis Centre Music Group

The Showstopper Award - Singing for Memory on Sandringham Campus