Bideford’s Musical Memory Café’s Christmas Party

Update and information on this club-supported project and an invitation to come along and be part of this wonderful and much-appreciated local resource!

By Mike Clarke

Who doesn’t love a Christmas party?

On Friday, 8th December at the Robins Nest, Bideford football ground, there were over three dozen visitors, supporters and volunteers to enjoy the seasonal singalong.

A little background information:

As the nation was coming round after the effects of Covid and we were free to mix a little more, Bideford Rotary got together with a special lady who was running cafes to support sufferers of dementia in Barnstaple.

During lockdown, Anne McKiernan from the North Devon Memory Cafe Consortium, spoke to us over zoom about her work, impressing upon us the great importance of memory/dementia cafes within the community.

So, with unanimous support, we (Bideford Rotary) offered to help organise one for the town. We started meeting in the Baptist Church hall at the top of the High Street but the parking proved difficult and limiting. The present venue is ideal with level easy free parking and access.

What made this party so special was the sad premature retirement of Julia who is a “one off” and who is Anne’s key support worker. Julia’s husband, Chris, has struggled with long Covid and has had to retire early and Julia had to step down, and downsize their home to support him. It's understandable, but very sad.

Adam, who runs Home Instead (the memory cafes sponsor) from South Moulton came along to thank Julia for all of her hard work dating back to 2016 and present a retirement gift from the company, one of many gifts from people she has supported in her work and the volunteers that admired her dedication.

Anne came to Moirag and Rotary again to see if we could help find a replacement for Julia’s position, so it was by good fortune and Ken Hind’s partner, Joy Smart, that we found Marion, who sings shanties with Joy in ‘The Apple Corers’. With a background in care and love of singing, she has turned out to be an ideal support for the group.

Bideford Musical Memory Café meets on the second and fourth Fridays of each month from 10:30am-12:30pm (or a little earlier if you want to help set up). We had amazing support from lots of members at the beginning; some had difficulty with the Friday timing but Brian and Beth Cook, Morris Poole, Tim Malone, Moirag and I regularly support the work. Julie Turner and Wendy Lea, (Inner Wheelers) were regular supporters too, so we are a great lady down as I write this report, and I prompt you to perhaps devote some time to helping out in the future. Please do drop in and see for yourself for a taste of how you can help.

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