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Attendees hailed the inaugural dementia-friendly festival as necessary and a success after three years of attempts by organisers to get the event going, with previous plans scuppered by the pandemic.
The event was held last Saturday in the courtyard of the National Trust’s Folk and Costume Museum at Saumarez Park, with a host of relaxed local musical performances throughout the afternoon with refreshments.
Guy Mitchell, committee member of Dementia Friendly Guernsey which ran the event, said the use of the museum courtyard provided a sense of reminiscence by allowing attendees to enjoy exhibits as well as the music.
Major festivals, including alternatives available in Guernsey are “not really accessible for people with dementia”, he said.
“We thought we'd have an accessible drop off point, flat so people can come and just enjoy an afternoon of food and lovely music.
“Then you have the other side of it with music and dementia. There's part of your brain that doesn't deteriorate with dementia. Music is something that stays, and people sing and get great joy out of it.It can be a form of communication for some people who live with dementia that they can actually communicate by singing and enjoying music.”
It had all the trapping of a live music performance with big speakers and a sound engineer to hand. Volume is not the issue for those with dementia, Mr Mitchell said: “It's accessible and it doesn't have the stress of another big festival would have.
“We're hoping that it'll be in the sort of calendar for years to come.”
“We got sponsorship so therefore we were able to put on this event free of charge. That’s what we want, A free event that can be given to the community of Guernsey and something that's unique.”
Pictured: People queuing for food and drink in the courtyard.
Maggie and Anthony Le Conte headed down to the event for the afternoon. Ms Le Conte said they attended after they saw it advertised as her husband has frontotemporal dementia.
“He used to go to all the Glastonbury,Reading and Leeds festivals and all the festivals over here. He loves music and can't go to them anymore. So, this is actually ideal,a nice safe place,” she said.
“He can't speak anymore unfortunately, but he's got a smile on his face.He's been tapping his foot and I think it’s really good so far, loving it, it’s a nice atmosphere.
“I think it’s going to be really successful; I think it’s a lovely idea, and you know it’s safe. People can sit down rather than being squished in a crowd.”
The event was sponsored by Highfield House Care Home and supported by the National Trust of Guernsey.
Pictured (top): Julie Bulpitt, Paul Corcoran and Guy Mitchell.
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