Amy helps dementia sing song session
When Amy Roberts celebrated her 11th birthday she decided she wanted to use the day to help other people.
The year seven pupil at Newtown High School, who has been learning about the problems of dementia, donated all her birthday moeny to help out a local charity, Dementia Friendly Newtown.
Amy spent several years growing up with her grandmother who had Alzheimer’s and who passed away four years ago. Since they she has been learning about how people can be helped through a dementia singing group organised by Newtown Area Library.
It is an intergenerational project run by the library, working with local primary schools, and with help from the memory nurses at Dementia Friendly Newtown.
Regular “sing along” sessions are held at the library, on the last Tuesday of the month. There is also the opportunity for families and carers to look at and borrow books to find out more about living with dementia, or to share photos and stories with their loved ones.
Councillor Rachel Powell, Powys Council portfolio holder for Powys libraries said: “Amy is an inspirational young lady who has both empathy and respect for individuals with dementia and has made a lovely gesture in donating all her birthday money to a great cause. This project has brought together local school pupils, people living with dementia, charity volunteers and library staff to share stories and
enjoy songs from the past and present.
"It shows another side of what our libraries can offer to communities in Powys alongside the much loved books and computers. It also raises the importance of intergenerational socialisation and the huge benefits for both children and the elderly, a concept that Powys has naturally embraced and that can be further built upon, not just in our towns, but within our rural areas too.”
Heather Wenban for the charity said: “We were so touched by Amy’s story and how she was inspired to discover more about the condition. We want to say a big thank you to her from everyone working here at the library or in the community, supporting people living with dementia. We are going to use this donation to pay Dial-a- ride to transport people from the community to attend the sing along sessions at Newtown Library”.
