An award-winning programme offering music sessions to people with dementia is set to come to Bolton.

Bolton Dementia Support, Manchester Camerata, and Bolton Wanderers in the Community (BWitC) have joined forces to introduce the Music in Mind programme to Bolton.

The sessions will start in October at the BWitC Wellbeing Hub at the Toughsheet Stadium, taking place on Thursday afternoons.

For those interested in becoming Music Champions - those who assist in the running of Music Cafés, where music is used to help those living with dementia - an introductory meeting will take place at the Wellbeing Hub on Wednesday, September 4 at 10.30am, and is open to all.

Music Champions would need to be able to spare two to three hours per week for the volunteer work.

Manchester Camerata's Music in Mind programme, built in partnership with the University of Manchester, applies principles of music therapy to improve the wellbeing of dementia sufferers.

Manchester Camerata offers training and support to partners to start their own Music Cafés and recruit Music Champions, and has worked with partners in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Sweden, and Japan.

Manchester Camerata's Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia is part of a £1.1 million project backed by Power of Music Fund (established by the National Academy for Social Prescribing, the Utley Foundation, and Arts Council England), Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and NHS Greater Manchester.

The funding is to support three years of musical activities across all Greater Manchester boroughs, beginning in October 2024.

According to the NHS, more than 940,000 people in the UK have dementia, while the Alzheimer's Society projects an increase to nearly 1.6 million by 2040.

Dave Bevitt, chief officer at Bolton Dementia Support, said: "We see at our various social events the way many people living with dementia react to music.

"It can really lift the spirit, and we regularly see the benefit to people of getting involved in music.

"We’re really pleased to be working with the Camerata and hope to develop a team of music champions who can learn new skills, help us to deliver these sessions, and spread the word across the town."

Those interested in becoming Music Champions can get in touch at boltondsg@gmail.com, via the websites www.boltondsg.org.uk and www.musicinmind.org, or via phone on 07704 594 585.