A DEMENTIA choir like TV star Vicky McClure’s nationally-renowned team and respite rooms for people with the condition are part of a Whitchurch centre’s next 10 years.

The Bradbury Centre, in Claypit Street, celebrated its 10-year anniversary last week with the Whitchurch Singers plus their own service users forming their own choir.

This has delighted manager Mandy Silvester who said that the day was a perfect celebration of what the centre offers people living with dementia.

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She said: “Some of our service users on a Thursday belonged to different choirs and singing groups and it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

“Music is really important for people with dementia so I thought it would be good.

“They love it and we even had a lady sing solo on the 10-year anniversary day which was incredible.

Service users at the Bradbury Centre enjoying their fellow members singing. Service users at the Bradbury Centre enjoying their fellow members singing. (Image: Bradbury Centre.)

“Singing is the only activity that uses every part of the brain and even if they’re stroke affected, they can still sing.

“We did our first performance last week and the Whitchurch Singers are keen to do more – the plan is maybe to do something next Christmas.

“We might put on a few shows on for family but one day we hope they’re brave enough to do it in the town.”

With building of the respite care rooms well ahead of schedule, allowing staff a sneak peak of the work, Mandy explained how care for people living with dementia has advanced in a decade.

She said: “The centre was more for socialisation and dementia wasn’t diagnosed like it is now – a lot of people with dementia were just put into care homes because it was classed as ‘senile’.

“I have years and years of experience and have been in this sector for 35 years, and I’m very passionate about this work.

“There is a lot of work on youth, which I get, but this generation needs it too and we are seeing dementia and Alzheimer's is arriving younger in people now too.

“Our youngest service user is 61 – we don’t have many with it in their 90s now and a lot of much younger.

“The next 10 years is about the progress we’re making.

“I’m so excited about the expansion and I used the 10-year anniversary to show the staff the work that has been done because no-one had seen it.

“The Trustees in Hong Kong had seen it because they have a weekly report and needed to see it.

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“As we go on we will be looking at other areas that need improvement but as more funding becomes available, we need to look at what becomes available for them while they’re here.

“We’ve got the Sanctuary room too and the floor has been finished for that nice space too but we can explore sensory areas too and I would like to bring virtual training back for families.

“If it helps two families then job done.”