At the heart of the Polbeth community sits the Rosebery Centre, a warm and welcoming haven for people living with dementia. It’s a place where care, compassion, and connection come together each day, where small moments make a lasting difference.
At the heart of the Polbeth community sits the Rosebery Centre, a warm and welcoming haven for people living with dementia. It’s a place where care, compassion, and connection come together each day, where small moments make a lasting difference. During Lintel Trust’s recent visit, the Centre was alive with music, laughter, and joy as service users gathered for one of their much-loved music therapy sessions. Thanks to a small but meaningful grant from Lintel Trust, these sessions continue to bring light, confidence, and togetherness to everyone who takes part, helping to reduce isolation and strengthen social bonds.
The Rosebery Centre, a registered day care facility, has long been a beacon in its community, offering care, respite, and a sense of belonging to both service users and their families. But like many local charities, it has been struggling under increasing financial pressures. Funding cuts have forced the team to make difficult choices, balancing essential care with the activities that bring joy and connection. Lintel Trust’s grant came at a critical time, ensuring that this powerful form of therapy could continue to flourish.
Music and dance therapy at the Rosebery Centre is far more than entertainment, it is a bridge to memory, movement, and self-expression. Each class is tailored to the needs of the group, using rhythm and gentle movement to mobilise joints, stimulate memory, and encourage conversation. Staff see remarkable transformations: communication improves, laughter flows more freely, and those who are often quiet come alive when the first notes begin.
The Centre also frequently welcomes local children to join these sessions, creating special intergenerational moments. Their laughter and energy bring a fresh spark to the room, while service users delight in their company and enthusiasm. For the children, these visits foster empathy and understanding, showing how music can unite people of all ages through shared experience and joy.
During Lintel Trust’s visit, we were able to see first-hand the impact of our funding. The room buzzed with excitement as Gary Coupland MBE, well-known as “The Music Man” and formerly of The Singing Kettle, led a bright and interactive session. His songs stirred memories, encouraged participation, and filled the room with laughter and movement. Gary’s natural warmth and playful energy drew everyone in, creating a joyful connection between generations that perfectly embodied the spirit of the project.
Megan Wright, Rosebery Centre Activities Coordinator: “These sessions mean the world to our service users. We see faces light up, voices grow stronger, and people who came in quiet leave chatting and laughing. Without the Lintel Trust grant, we simply wouldn’t be able to keep this going.”
Amanda Gauld, Social Value Advisor at Lintel Trust, reflected: “This project demonstrates the incredible social value that can come from a small amount of funding. The impact goes far beyond the sessions themselves, it builds confidence, strengthens community ties, and creates moments of real happiness for people who need it most. Seeing the difference first-hand at the Rosebery Centre was both moving and inspiring.”
As the music faded and the applause rose, the room was filled with smiles and a quiet sense of peace. For those at the Rosebery Centre, these moments are more than just a few hours of music, they are a reminder of identity, friendship, and joy that endures despite dementia.
For Lintel Trust, supporting projects like this shows how even modest funding can create lasting social impact, improving wellbeing, strengthening community connection, and giving people living with dementia the chance to rediscover joy, one song at a time.
Music has a unique power to reach people in ways that words sometimes can’t. It stirs memories, evokes emotion, and helps individuals reconnect with their sense of self. For those living with dementia, this can be truly transformative. A familiar melody or rhythm can spark recognition, bring comfort, and open doors to conversation and shared experience. These moments of connection don’t just lift the spirits of service users, they offer hope and reassurance to families, who see their loved ones re-engage and smile again.
Addressing isolation caused by dementia in its multifaceted dimensions remains a critical challenge in contemporary society. One of the most pressing aspects of this issue is the impact on mental wellbeing, and overall quality of life. The consequences of these can be severe, extending beyond adverse health outcomes to financial indicators, digital inclusion, and access to wider local and community services, continuing to further negatively impact the individual, families and wider society.
Investing in wellbeing is not an optional extra, it’s a cornerstone of dignified, compassionate care. Projects like the Rosebery Centre’s music and dance therapy sessions demonstrate how creativity and community can nurture both mental and physical health. They remind us that even in the face of illness and uncertainty, joy, laughter, and togetherness remain essential parts of what it means to live well.
To learn more about how Lintel Trust is investing in communities like yours, and how your organisation can access funding, visit www.linteltrust.org.uk
