Dancing with Dementia on Spirit of Salford award win

“The charity has just grown beyond our wildest dreams” – Dancing with Dementia on Spirit of Salford award win

From a room of 24 people dancing to records once a month, to supporting more than 200 people every week with live entertainment, Dancing with Dementia has grown exponentially in seven years. Now, organisers are reflecting on their work after winning the Spirit of Salford’s Community Group of the Year award.

Recognised for their positive impact throughout the dementia and wider community, Dancing with Dementia organisers were presented with the award last month by Salford City mayor, Paul Dennett. Face of the charity, Lesley Fisher, said: “It’s been a long seven years of constant pushing and knocking and doors. To now get to a point to have people recognising what you’re doing, it feels like we’ve finally done it. We’re doing it all for the love of a loved one.

“The charity has just grown beyond our wildest dreams. I never expected it, I thought we’d just have a small group once a month, maybe an entertainer. To actually expand, we thought wasn’t even possible.”

Alongside a team of Anne Bellis (social secretary), Jean Brock (Admin), Jeanette Cutt (Treasurer), Elaine Fox (networker) and more than 40 volunteers, Dancing with Dementia was formed after Lesley’s sister, Jean, was diagnosed with the condition.

Lesley said: “All we were doing was going to appointments in magnolia rooms with no levitation or joy.

“When there’s a dementia diagnosis you just don’t know where to go.”

Lesley spoke to friends who also had love ones who had the condition to check if they would help form a group.

“From there we knew we had to do something to encourage more support for people.”

Lesley and her team consulted local care home professionals on how to improve their weekly dancing sessions. She continued: “After the first three months, we thought ‘Are we flogging a dead horse?’ then someone said how they thought it would never work. I was like a red rag to a bull. There was only three of us organising at that point and we’d all been on a dementia journey. We wanted it to work, and we wanted to prove them wrong.

Hosted at Swinton Grand Palais on Mondays, and Humphrey Booth Day Centre on Wednesdays, the ‘Dancing with Dementia family’ are welcomed with one of a portfolio of entertainers, home-cooked food and social interaction.

Lesley continued: “For those who live alone, it is great to have someone to cook your lunch, have no washing up and you get to speak to people too, Until you’re living alone, you don’t understand how dreadful eating alone can be, especially if you’re used to cooking for two.

“Some people come and they say how much they enjoyed it and how they can’t wait for the next one.”

Dancing with Dementia has since opened its door to anyone felt isolated or alone, those with learning difficulties or special needs, and friends, family and carers. They have also expanded to provide sensory activities to care homes throughout the community for people living with dementia.

With the charity supporting the installation of the RemPod train simulation, donated by Coronation Street’s Catherine Tyldesley, and planning a slot at We Invented the Weekend, the key message behind Dancing with Dementia has not been lost. Lesley explained: “We like to encourage people to come and not be embarrassed.

“Dementia can be embarrassing, but for a room full of people to know what it’s like, who won’t judge, talk about you behind your back, its respite. They have walked that journey and known how you feel.

“It’s important that everybody gets together and supports each other. We do it to support everyone and see smiles.”