St Patrick’s Day brings community together for dementia-friendly singalong in Yarm

Over 100 people, including those living with dementia, their carers, and supporters from the dementia care community, gathered for a musical extravaganza, marking St Patrick’s Day in style.

Yarm School’s regular Memento events are designed to harness the power of music by bringing people together for joyous singing, laughter and reminiscing.

The recent packed-out St Patrick’s Day event was led by the inspirational Mike McGrother and saw performances from Yarm School pupils alongside the much-loved local men’s choir, Infant Hercules. As they sang and chatted, guests were treated to a tasty Irish stew with colcannon, complemented by teas, coffees, and even a taste of Guinness.

Mike McGrother, Yarm’s Music Partnerships Coordinator said: “Seeing so many faces light up, and voices joining in song is exactly why we do what we do. Music has a unique ability to unlock memories, offering those living with dementia meaningful moments and connecting us all.”

Huw Williams, Headmaster at Yarm School said: “This is the seventh Memento event we’ve hosted at Yarm, each one reaching more people. Watching one of our guests break into song as our pupils sang Danny Boy, and seeing her carers in tears, was very moving and a powerful testament to the success of this project and the power of music to bring people together and to stimulate memories where they might otherwise be hard to access.”