St Mary’s Hospice Compassionate Community Hub is thrilled to announced they have received Power of Music funding to support our Admiral Nurse Dementia Service.

A total of £5,000 over three years has been awarded to the group based in Barrow.

The money will go towards 10 monthly Healthcare Musician led sessions within the Dementia Cafes each year.

The group will incorporate hands-on music-making in addition to song and movement, engaging participants in a whole-body experience.

Taking time with individuals in addition to full group involvement to allow personalised responses that enable them to support carers in utilizing music in daily life and routine.

This funding will allow the community hub to collaborate closely with the incredible Mary Dunsford, a multi-instrumentalist with a decade of experience as a musician in healthcare.

Mary will begin attending the Barrow Dementia Café on a monthly basis, offering sessions designed to foster connection through music.

These sessions will aim to evoke memories, share stories, and bring people together in the present moment through the sheer joy of creating music together.

Lynsey Lawson, Compassionate Communities Team Lead, said: “We’re delighted that The Power of Music Fund has supported our work in this way. Now, thanks to funding this collaborative project will provide fun, connection and support for those with Dementia and their carers and maximise opportunities for linking with exciting musical opportunities already planned for the town but which may not have been accessible for those living with Dementia.”

The Power of Music Fund is being managed by the National Academy for Social Prescribing and has been kickstarted by a £1 million donation from The Utley Foundation.

It is also supported by Arts Council England, Music for All, and other donors, including members of the public.

The fund builds on the recommendations of the 2022 Power of Music Report, which outlined the benefits that music can have for health and wellbeing, including for people living with dementia.

Through the fund, the National Academy for Social Prescribing aims to support grassroots groups providing support through music, and also improve links with healthcare providers, so that people with dementia and their carers can be ‘socially prescribed’ music projects.

Charlotte Osborn-Forde, CEO at the National Academy for Social Prescribing, said: “We’re thrilled to have awarded St Mary’s Hospice Community Hub this funding as part of the Power of Music’s mission to deliver funds to grassroots projects as part of social prescribing, especially in parts of the country where the need is greatest.

“The money can cover basic costs such as room hire and travel, but more importantly, it will provide support for people living with dementia and their families, improving their physical and mental wellbeing and creating moments of joy and connection through music.

“The Utley Foundation has been working to make music an integral part of dementia care for ten years through its Music for Dementia campaign.”

Sarah Metcalfe, Managing Director at The Utley Foundation, said: “Research shows music can help people living with dementia and their families. More must be done to make it an integral part of dementia care. The Utley Foundation was delighted to kickstart NASP’s Power of Music Fund with £1million and is thrilled that St Mary’s Hospice Community Choir is one of the first organisations to benefit so that local people can benefit.”

To find out more visit https://www.stmaryshospice.org.uk/ and https://socialprescribingacademy.org.uk/pomfund