Wales & West Utilities Sophie Shorney, DAA Chairman Alan Hale and DAA Treasurer & Volunteer, Mike Knight
Residents living with dementia in and around the Keynsham area are being helped through a partnership between Keynsham Dementia Action Alliance (DAA) and Wales & West Utilities.
With the DAA offering much support to the many people living with dementia in the local area, including hosting twice-monthly Music for the Mind sessions, the gas emergency and pipeline service has stepped in to provide funding which is now enabling a further six enabling living with dementia to attend the sessions.
The £600 funding has allowed DAA to book specialist transport that will now pick up Keynsham nursing home residents and bring them to the sessions for the next 12 months.
Music has been known to affect those with dementia and Alzheimer’s as it helps patients recall memories and emotions and have enhanced mental performance after singing and hearing tunes.
Alan Hale, Chairman of DAA, explains:
“It was a chance meeting with Sophie from Wales & West Utilities that has led to this partnership which will see so many of our local community benefit.
“The help and support from Wales & West Utilities has meant that our sessions are sustainable for another twelve months, during which time we’ll be doing more fundraising to ensure the future sustainability for the sessions.
“On behalf of all of the users of our service I’d like to extend a warm thanks for this huge help.”
Wales & West Utilities Sophie Shorney, DAA Chairman Alan Hale and DAA Treasurer & Volunteer, Mike Knight with other volunteers and users of the service
Wales & West Utilities, Business Project Analyst, Sophie Shorney, was instrumental in providing the assistance. She said:
“We are keen to support the communities where we work and when I learnt of the support the DAA provides to those living with dementia, as well as their families and carers, we jumped at the chance of helping to positively impact the lives of those individuals.
“We’re delighted that this funding has helped secure the future of the sessions for a further 12 months.”
The DAA hold Music for the Mind sessions on the second and fourth Thursday’s of the month between 10.30 and 12.15pm at St Dunstan's Church Hall, Keynsham. Anyone who has been diagnosed with dementia is welcome to come along to the Music for the Mind sessions, together with their carer, where they will be able to enjoy conversation and singing. There is no charge but donations are welcome.
Wales & West Utilities, the gas emergency and pipeline service, brings energy to 7.5m people across the south west of England and Wales. If anyone smells gas, thinks they have a gas leak, or suspects carbon monoxide poisoning, they should call us on 0800 111 999 and our engineers will be there to help, day or night.
The company also has a multi-million pound, 30-year gas pipe investment programme which began in 2002. Old metal pipes within 30 metres of buildings are being replaced with new long-lasting plastic pipes with a lifespan of more than 80 years, to make sure homes and businesses continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply now and in the future.