Through the power of song, Forget-me-not Chorus is bringing people together across Wales
ON a quiet night in February, it’s easy to feel bogged down by winter gloom but singing Don’t Worry, Be Happy among young and old alike, it is hard not to just be that – happy.
Every Thursday, the Cardiff South Group of Forget-me-not Chorus, a choir for those living with and alongside dementia, rehearses in Elfed Avenue United Church.
As everyone arrives, people hug and catch up on their week.
“The sense of community is so important,” said Nicki Rose, one of the music leaders of FMNC.
“It brings people together at a time when they feel isolated,” said the pianist.
The freelance musician has been part of FMNC since it began as a project between Welsh National Opera and the Alzheimer’s Society. Some 14 years later the registered charity is still bringing people together through the power of song, holding free community rehearsals in accessible venues across Wales.
‘Music is the last part of the brain to go’
After a warm up of Calypso everyone is raring to go. The singers make their way through Spread a Little Happiness and the toe-tapping Get Me to the Church on Time, without using sheet music.
“There is nothing to get lost behind,” Nicki said. “Music is the last part of the brain to go.”
Those living with dementia can still remember the words to songs, which allows them to sing alongside loved ones, said the music leader of the Cardiff South group.
Music is a powerful tool for those living with dementia. A study by the World Health Organisation found that it supports speech, cognition and memory and helps reduce anxiety and depression.
Even though members do not use sheet music, FMNC sets a high bar. Rehearsals follow established choral techniques, teaching melodies, harmonies and movements. Members treated as choristers first and foremost with labels tossed aside.
When everyone sings, this joy is ineffable. People laugh, dance, make jokes and sway to the rhythm. It is a testament to the power of music.
Challenging the stigma of dementia
The weekly sessions allows families and friends to connect with loved ones outside the routine of medical appointments and medication. The person is recognised beyond the condition and the focus is on the joy of being in the moment.
The rehearsals lead to three concerts a year, bringing communities together to celebrate the chorus’s achievements and challenge the stigma of dementia.
The chorus regularly collaborates with writers, poets and composers to create music, poems and art that captures the lived experiences of FMNC members. These help educate the public about the condition and show how life can be well lived by those living with and caring for dementia.
‘Everyone is accepted for who they are’
As the the singers take a well earned break, they chat away while tucking into slices of lemon drizzle and bara brith. The strong bonds that FMNC has fostered are evident.
“The people are what makes the choir,” said Nikki.
Sisters Emily and Tammy have been coming to rehearsals for over six years with their mum, Janette.
The minute they walked in, “it felt like family”, said Emily.
They can connect with others, share in the joy of singing alongside Janette and feel secure in knowing they are in a environment where they can get help and support.
Emily said there is still a lack of awareness and understanding from the public about dementia but in FMNC nobody judges.
“Everyone is accepted for who they are. It’s about being people again and “realising you are not on your own,” said the 52-year-old.
Emily, Tammy and Janette have sung together throughout their lives and the chorus has helped them carry on this tradition.
“We make memories by coming here,” said Emily.
FMNC has grown beyond its wildest dreams since it was opened in 2011 to people with all types of dementia, said Katherine Harri, director of development and communications.
The charity is now UK wide and runs groups in Cardiff, Newport, North Wales, the Vale of Glamorgan and St Austell in care homes and hospital settings.
Pre-recorded singing lessons, launched during lockdown are now used in more than 2,000 care homes across the UK and New Zealand.
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‘It must be love’
After the last dregs of tea are finished the choir practises songs from a repertoire spanning the generations, from musical classics to Bruno Mars.
Rita, aged 92, has been rehearsing with the choir for the past six weeks. “It brings you all together,” she said.
After singing Love and Marriage and the toe-tapping Chapel of Love, the chorus ends with Madness’s It Must Be Love.
And as members make their goodbyes, the lyrics seem to perfectly encapsulate FMNC.
“Nothing more, nothing less, love is the best.”
- Details of the chorus’s upcoming performances and updates can be found on their:
