A FIRST FOR SLIGO AS SNOWDROPS CHOIR BEGINS
Successful first gathering
A new choir will meet monthly to put smiles on the faces of dementia sufferers and their families and carers.
The ‘Snowdrops’ dementia choir is the brainchild of Audrey McGovern.
The choir will meet on the second Thursday of every month at the Glasshouse Hotel for an hour from 3-4pm.
The first singing session took place last Thursday, with a huge crowd turning up.
Audrey says people can turn up whenever they like to just sing, listen to music and enjoy themselves.
“We’ve organised this so that they can have an hour where they can relax and enjoy themselves.
“It was just lovely to see everyone singing and smiling and enjoying themselves.”
People with dementia often remember music and songs, and even lyrics to songs they haven’t heard in years.
The late Brendan Grace famously worked with a choir ‘Forget-Me-Nots’ which was also made up of people with dementia and their carers.
“It’s just a load of people coming together and singing old tunes and enjoying themselves. It was a really lovely hour. I already can’t wait for the next event.”
It was something that Audrey wanted to do for a while, and following encouragement from her sister, she took the plunge and organised the first meet up of the choir.
“I’ve wanted to do it for a while, my own mother has dementia. My sister was taking part in Sligo Sings and she just encouraged me to do it.
“I’ve sung all my own life and I’ve missed it so much so this is nice. I’ve got great support I have to say.”
Audrey made contact with local singer Michele Feeney, and she came along to the first meet up of the choir last Thursday.
She told Audrey she would speak to other musicians to see if they might come along for choir sessions whenever suits them.
“It might take time to build up but hopefully people will come along,” Audrey said.
She added: “If they don’t want to sing that’s absolutely fine they can just come along and listen and enjoy it.
“There isn’t anything like it in Sligo. People sometimes can be agitated and then when they come into the choir all of that is gone, they are in a different place.
“It might give an hour of a break to a husband or wife or son or daughter or carer,” she added.