* Ysgol Y Gwernant, Llangollen pupils enjoying the singalong.
More than 600 schoolchildren from across North Wales and Cheshire - including a group from Ysgol Gwernant - joined care home residents for a sing-song at Llangollen International Eisteddfod.
The musical dementia workshops on the Maes were organised by the arts loving Pendine Park care organisation who are major sponsors of the iconic festival where Wales meets the world.
The sessions were led by creative practitioner Emyr Gibson, a popular Welsh TV soap actor and singer, and Pendine’s musician-in-residence, Nia Davies Williams.
They were supported by Pendine’s consultant artist-in-residence, Sarah Edwards, 16 care staff and 15 residents from the group’s care homes.
The project was funded via the Pendine Arts and Community Trust which was set up by the organisation’s owners, Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, to support arts and community activities, including the eisteddfod.
Sarah Edwards said: “These dementia music workshops are inter-generational and involve our residents living with dementia in our care homes and lots of different schools.
“They are fun, interactive music sessions and our residents really get involved in them, and the children do too.
“It’s all about having fun, shaking their maracas and waving their Pendine flags – just having a good old time.
“There’s also a little incentive because there is goodie bags for the children afterwards which always go down well.
“It’s important because it allows our local community to understand what living with dementia is and, although it is a very challenging condition, that it is not necessarily the end for our residents.
“Our care is person-centred and dignified and we want to allow our residents to do the things they enjoy, and one of the things they really love is interacting with children – these workshops do exactly that.”
“Everybody throws themselves in and the team effort is amazing.”
Meinir Rees, the assistant headteacher at Ysgol Gwernant in Llangollen, said the workshop had been a highlight for the youngsters on their annual trip to the eisteddfod.
She said: “The whole school is here, there’s a 157 of us here, and 57 children took part in the workshop.
“It was lovely to take part, it was fab, we knew some of the songs, the maracas were great fun and the children really enjoyed themselves.
“It was really nice for the school to be part of a project which brought different ages together.”
It was a sentiment echoed by Ysgol y Gwernant pupils Olivia, 11, and Florence, 10.
Olivia said: “The music workshop was good, it’s nice to spend time with older people and sing together.”
Florence added: “I thought the workshop was good fun and the eisteddfod is good too, I really like the performances inside the Pavilion.”
The care home residents who took part in the workshop said they had a great time.
Gwen Davies said: “It was lovely to see so many children, they are so nice.
“I’ve been joining in with the singing, it’s a nice way to spend a day.”
Beryl Roberts said: “It’s been lovely to spend time with the children, they’ve been very well behaved and they’ve all joined in.
“I’ve been to the eisteddfod many times, it’s very special.”
Llangollen town crier Austin Cheminais dropped by to say hello and raise three cheers for Pendine Park and the work it does in the community.
The dementia workshop was a huge success, said Emyr Gibson, who juggles his work with Pendine Park alongside his TV and music commitments.
Emyr gained fame playing Meical for more than 18 years in the hit S4C Welsh language series Rownd a Rownd.
He is also a familiar face from gritty TV dramas Hidden and Forgotten Journeys.
Emyr said: “I have performed loads of times at the eisteddfod with choirs and stuff and I always think this is an amazing place and does something the world could learn from.
Nia Davies Williams added: “Music and the arts are the golden thread that runs through everything we do at Pendine, including the intergenerational work and the links it builds within the community.
“The power of music is undeniable and the workshop is a bit of a showcase of what we’re doing.
“It’s a chance for people to see what we’re doing and for us once again to reach out to the community, and what better place to do that than the Llangollen Eisteddfod?”
Eisteddfod picture action from Thursday
Pictures: Kurly Mawaha
* Two of the groups who performed at St Collen's Church included New Zealand Youth Choir and Coro de Camara from Costa Rica. Here they gather for a group 'hello' shot.
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