Manchester Camerata and ForViva Housing Association Announce Partnership on ‘Music in Mind’ Project for People Living with Dementia

Manchester Camerata have partnered with social purpose organisation, ForViva, to create music with people living with dementia over a three-year project across Salford and St. Helen’s. Through our ‘Music in Mind’ project, Manchester Camerata musicians will make music alongside people living with dementia to encourage them to express themselves and communicate with others, ultimately improving their quality of life.

Across extra care schemes in Salford and a specialist dementia scheme in St Helens, the Music in Mind project will see up to 50 tenants living with dementia and their families benefit from 15 sessions each year . People living with dementia in the community will also take part in a bespoke songwriting project with Manchester Camerata musicians in Eccles.

Up to 20 care staff will develop skills to run their own music-making sessions through training during the project.

The project will be delivered at schemes managed by its members City West Housing Trust and Villages Housing Association.

Henry Terefenko, Group Director of Communities at ForViva said: “Research shows music can enable people with dementia to connect and communicate in a truly unique way.

That’s why we are delighted to be investing in leading orchestra Manchester Camerata to help improve the wellbeing of extra care tenants living with dementia, through the power of music.”

He added: “We are proud to be a dementia friendly organisation and train all our staff to be Dementia Friends. We already offer a wide range of activities to tenants living with dementia and their families which this project will really add to.”

Lucy Geddes, Head of Camerata in the Community at Manchester Camerata said: “This partnership is extremely important as it enables more people living with dementia in Salford to create music together and discover how it can improve their wellbeing. We’re really looking forward to working with care staff to implement the approach across ForViva schemes on a long-term basis.”

With research conducted by The University of Manchester, The Music in Mind project has been delivered since 2012 by Manchester Camerata.