Swell Music CIC is a small not for profit organisation offering singing for wellbeing activities in rural and deprived parts of Suffolk. Recent funding has allowed Swell Music to develop new Singing for Wellbeing activities in Halesworth in particular, enabling the team to work more closely and in partnership with the local Dementia society in order to provide singing for wellbeing groups for their members.

People living with Dementia (and their families) often find it hard to access social activities and can easily become isolated and withdrawn. The pandemic served to exacerbate this issue with many people not going out for months at a time and the usual support services being withdrawn. Starting out with online sessions earlier this year, the team at Swell Music have now been able to convert these to in-person sessions, and they now have a thriving Dementia Singing group for those living in the Halesworth area. Singing together has proven impact on not only wellbeing but also memory for people living with Dementia.