The Musical Walkabout, lead by Nina Clark, started in the summer of 2019 as part of The League of Amiable Songsters.  Based in Broadmeadow Care Centre, the team worked largely with young onset dementia, care givers and people working in health and social care roles.  Nina leads the Songsters in learning songs from different genres that are fun to sing, easy to learn and a joy to be involved in.  The League works with these three main groups, and the Musical Walkabout welcomes members of the public to join in to raise awareness and foster a more cohesive community around their work.

During COVID, the group was run online and this had its advantages and disadvantages.  Because of the time-lag on the online meeting, the singers would be a beat behind Nina, and rather than turning off the cacophony, Nina persisted and the group came out stronger for it. Post-lockdown they got involved with Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum and their membership shot up.  Members from the Hythe group now join in with Folkestone and vice versa.

Funds from the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust for 2024 helped sustain the summer work where the group Musical Walkabout go around the town and sing in different places.  It’s an opportunity for people to get out into the fresh air, but also be comfortable performing outside.  There might not be a specific audience, but there is the feel of performing rather than just singing in a room.  The Walkabout performs in the Lower Leas Coastal Park which has areas set back from the main path, meaning that there is a constant stream of people walking past as they sing.

The age range is from people in their mid-50s to 80s and now with the increased pressures of dementia there are mobility issues too.  So instead of walking and then stopping and singing, everyone is encouraged to bring the mobility aids they need and the group will find a spot and sing from there.  There’s always movement whilst performing with dancing and enthusiastic singing.

There is evidence across the globe that singing is beneficial for anyone with dementia.  There are members who have lost speech but still are able to sing along with the songs which the group witnesses on a weekly basis.  Involvement in music can be from someone tapping their toes, making eye contact, moving a finger in time.  Engagement can be measured on a wide spectrum, but it is all valid.