Totnes Caring’s clients have recorded their own Christmas CD and are hoping it becomes a Christmas number one.
Last week Totnes Caring’s clients and their carers recorded their version of ‘You raise me up’. After months of rehearsals the track is ready to be produced into CD’s and hopefully this year’s Christmas number one.
Micki and Andrew, two of Totnes Caring’s clients, have solos on the track and John, one of the carers, plays the keyboard on the track.
The recording of a CD for Totnes Caring has been organised by local singer, Roy, who comes to the memory café at the Totnes Boating Association once a month to entertain clients and their carers.
Music can be very powerful part of therapy for people suffering from dementia and memory-loss conditions.
Roy said of the significance of the “These good people here have been turning up this afternoon and the first thing they say to me is ‘special singing today Roy’ and I said ‘yeah its very special singing today’ and you could see their faces are lighting up, and you can see some of these good people who are suffering from memory losses but the sheer power of music just turns a light on.”
This song is very simple in its words but what I’ve tried to do is get them to think about the person they’re sitting next to when they say ‘you raise me up’ and that puts the volume in the song and the energy of thanks in the song. That’s why we chose it.”
Catherine Higgs, part of the Dementia Care team at Totnes Caring said: "Some wonderful festive magic has been happening at Totnes Caring Memory cafe, and we are thrilled to have such amazing clients, carers and volunteers to bring it all together in a very special recording, not only important to the Totnes Caring Memory Cafe, but to the wider community and those all over that suffer with dementia or care for those who do. Music and singing unlocks something special in people and this CD is a wonderful example of people celebrating that in aid of such of fantastic cause. We couldn't be more proud".