A CHOIR project to help those with dementia is set to relaunch at the Halstead Empire Theatre.

The theatre has announced that dementia-friendly choir workshops will return every Wednesday from September 7.

The free events are making their long-awaited return in partnership with the Halstead Community Choir and Colne View care home.

The theatre is inviting people to take part in a bid to explore how music can benefit those with dementia.

Inspired by the BBC’s dementia choir which featured Vicky McClure, back in  2019, the Empire Theatre, like many other support groups was forced to close during the pandemic.

It comes as a million people in the UK are expected to be living with dementia by 2025.

While there is no cure, the theatre says there's growing evidence that music can help with symptoms such as depression and agitation as well as improve someone's mood, behaviour and wellbeing.

The theatre added research shows that musical memory is often retained when other memories are lost,  music can help people to recall memories due to the nature of preserved memory for song and music in the brain.

The sessions are free and there will be experienced tutors as well as support from other volunteers from the theatre on hand.

The sessions are held at the Empire Theatre every Wednesday and run from 10.30am to 12.30pm, with a meet and greet, plus a break for free tea, coffee and biscuits.

Project Manager for Colne View and Care UK, Kim Richardson, said: “We want to be an inclusive choir for the community – not just those with dementia, but for their friends, families and carers.

“We want to bring people together in the community to reduce isolation and loneliness by reigniting memories to share through the medium of music.

“Singing is such a wonderful way to socialise and communicate, without pressure or judgement.

“Research shows that musical memory is often retained when other memories are lost; music can help people to recall memories due to the nature of preserved memory for song and music in the brain.

“The dementia-friendly choir is a wonderful way to explore this.’

For more details, contact mike@empire-theatre.co.uk or call 07947 556501 and speak to Mike at the theatre.