Lansdown Friendship Club (LFC) is a small group in Bath run by volunteers to support people living with dementia and their families. We gave them a grant in 2023 to buy play equipment. This time we helped fund their Christmas 2024 party.
Mary-Jane who runs LFC, told us how it all unfolded.
“Before the event, the volunteers worked hard to decorate the room and tables and prepare the refreshments. Our guests were greeted outside by a Christmas Elf before entering a wonderfully festive room filled with Christmas music. They were welcomed with mulled wine or warm spiced apple juice.
Our guests chatted with each other and our volunteers and then got comfortable at tables where they were served mince pies, more drinks and awaited the entertainment. The room was filled with conversation and laughter. There were Christmas cracker jokes to enjoy and memories of childhood Christmas traditions were shared.
St Stephen’s Primary School Choir were soon getting ready on the stage, and a hush buzzed around the room as everyone waited expectantly for the children to sing. The school choir were amazing, beautifully singing both traditional carols and Christmas songs. Chocolates were passed around the tables. Applause and appreciative comments filled the room after every song. It was lovely to see so many smiles.
singalong with a great choir
Everyone joined the choir to sing a rousing chorus of ‘We wish you a Merry Christmas’ as they left the stage for some well-earned juice, Christmas biscuits and a quick walk back to school for home time.
The kettles were now boiling for the intermission of our afternoon’s entertainment. Cups of tea and cafetieres of coffee were served alongside more mulled wine, mince pies, shortbread and of course chocolates.
As a group we read out the worst of the Christmas cracker jokes and the room was filled with laughter and groans! Our old friends the Lansdown Ukuladies arrived, tuned up and the stage spotlights again turned on. Christmas songbooks were passed around plus percussion instruments and a fun half an hour of a community Christmas singing along with the Ukuladies followed. Our Christmas party drew to close with great applause and thanks to the amazing Ukuladies. Christmas greetings were shared and Christmas cards with love and good wishes from the Lansdown Friendship volunteer team given to our guests. There was no rush to leave, the conversation continued, and the chocolates passed around.
Our guests left offering thanks for the fun festive afternoon and looking forward to meeting up again in January. 26 guests were able to attend this Christmas gathering. Those who couldn’t were hand delivered the following day take aways: mince pies, chocolates, Christmas cards with love and Christmas greetings from everyone.
This hugely successful Christmas event reflected the welcome and community that the Lansdown Friendship club offers to people living with memory difficulties and their family and friends. “
Lansdown is typical of great groups working in their local communities to support people living with dementia and their families. Bringing people together gives them so much joy and breaks a pattern of isolation. We will continue to support LFC working with Mary-Jane and the wonderful team of volunteers