Thomson Cooper helps secure £1.6m for dementia music charity

The award from the National Lottery Community Fund will be used to raise awareness of the benefits of playlists, and part fund the expansion of the Playlist for Life community Help Points network to 1,500 across the UK.

Playlist for Life supports those experiencing dementia, their families and carers, teaching them how to create a unique personal playlist of the soundtrack to a person’s life.

Each playlist allows others to ‘see’ the person with dementia through the music they love, with recipients experiencing absolute joy from their soundtrack and a way to re-connect with loved ones.

The Help Points are hosted by existing organisations like libraries and churches, with Playlist for Life providing free training and resources to promote the power of music to help those with dementia.

Fiona Haro

Fiona Haro, head of charities at Thomson Cooper, is treasurer with Playlist for Life, she said: “We are very grateful for this generous award, knowing the tremendous impact it will have on our mission to improve the lives of people effected by dementia. Huge thanks go to those involved in the Lottery application and the hundreds of volunteers throughout the UK who help re-connect families and their loved ones through the power of playlists.”

To celebrate the award, and the fact that BBC Music Day 2019 will highlight the power of music to help people with dementia, Playlist for Life will be promoting ‘Musical Teas’ in communities across the UK in the run up to Music Day on 26 September.