A special edition of Songs of Praise recorded in Lichfield Cathedral will be aired this month.
A service for people impacted by dementia featured performances by Tony Christie and the Lichfield Catheral Choristers.
Recorded on 23rd April, the recording will be aired on the BBC show on 12th May to mark the start of Dementia Action week.
The cathedral is parrt of the Dementia-Friendly Churches and Schools network and regularly hosts services designed for those with the condition.
David Primrose, Canon Treasurer at Lichfield Cathedral, said:
“Worshipping with people impacted by dementia is always an inspirational experience – even more so during the Songs of Praise service as the power of music gave us a deep sense of unity.
“It was wonderful seeing over 400 adults and children come together from churches, care homes, schools and the wider community across our diocese.”
David Primrose
The informal service partnered with Music for Dementia. The organisation’s managing director Sarah Metcalfe said:
“Lichfield Cathedral’s Songs of Praise service for people impacted by dementia was a wonderful event, and I’m delighted to have been invited to be part of it.
“This special service was a celebration of the wonderful work that Lichfield Diocese does, and it was fantastic to see so many people attend. Singing hymns is a great example of how people living with dementia can benefit from the power of music to ease their symptoms of anxiety or distress.
“We all have a soundtrack to our lives and for many of us we will remember hymns from schooldays or if we were a girl guide or scout.
“Just singing a familiar tune at home, like a favourite hymn, can be very calming and comforting for someone with dementia.
“Music can be enough to turn a difficult moment around and get you through the day. We urge carers to give it a go.”
Sarah Metcalfe
Singer Tony Christie, who himself has himself been diagnosed with dementia, opened the service with Is This The Way To Amarillo and closed with the song Thank You For Being A Friend.
He said:
“It was a real honour to perform in Lichfield Cathedral for their dementia friendly service.
“I’m a local resident and my grandchildren were choristers at the cathedral when they were younger, so it holds a special place in my heart.
“The service was fantastic. It was a joy to sing two songs as part of it.
“Amarillo is a crowd favourite, and I always end my gigs these days singing Thank You For Being A Friend, which is a song I recorded last year as a charity single for the Music for Dementia organisation, who I work alongside as an ambassador.”
Tony Christie