Residents and carers at Morpeth’s Riverside House Care Home feature in a short film following their dementia choir over several months.

The Forget Me Not choir includes eight residents and was led by activities co-ordinator Richard Dobinson, who was inspired to start the choir after watching Vicky McClure’s BBC documentary Our Dementia Choir.

The choir’s inaugural show was performed to more than 100 people, including Morpeth Mayor Alison Byard, residents’ friends and family, and children from Goose Hill nursery. The group sang songs inspired by their childhood as well as a variety of Geordie anthems such as The Blaydon Races.

The choir, which spent over three months rehearsing twice a week, was fronted by resident Margaret Evans, who taught music at Hirst School in Ashington.

The short film produced by the choir follows the lead-up to the performance, including the hospitalisation and subsequent passing of some members and the kind support of the local community who helped make the project possible.

Dobinson said: “I was totally inspired by Vicky McClure’s dementia choir and after seeing how much it helped the members, we had to give it a go. We even had a video from the BBC choir wishing us luck for the performance, which totally blew me away. It’s been a real rollercoaster, but I am so grateful and proud of everyone who has been involved.”

Riverside House Care Home manager Julie Roper said “So many of us had tears in our eyes during the performance, because when they are up there and singing, the dementia subsides and they are just themselves, enjoying the spotlight and being part of a group.”