Residents from Blackthorns Care Home, part of the Runwood Homes Group, enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of music, connection and community as they attended the Dementia Choir at the Empire Theatre in Halstead on 20th May 2026, as part of Dementia Awareness Week celebrations.
The event brought together members of the local community for an uplifting afternoon filled with singing, conversation, coffee and biscuits. A special highlight of the day was a performance from children from Gosfield School, whose singing brought smiles to everyone in attendance and created a special intergenerational experience.
Residents thoroughly enjoyed the outing, with Janet sharing that she “really enjoyed having a singsong.” Jenny and Sheila were especially pleased to reconnect with friends they knew from the local community, enjoying the opportunity to chat and socialise.
The regular dementia choir sessions are already a valued community initiative, but the addition of the children’s performance made this event particularly special.
The outing was an important way to mark Dementia Awareness Week, while also giving residents the chance to build meaningful community connections across generations. Events like this help to promote inclusion, raise awareness and create joyful shared experiences for everyone involved.
