Seaside views helped rekindle memories of distant holidays at a Wrexham memory cafe.

From Abersoch to Aberystwyth, Benllech Bay to Barry Island, there is nothing like a familiar piece of coastline or resort to trigger memories of happy days that still shine through the fog of dementia-affected minds.

The themed quizzes – this month’s was summer holidays – are proving very popular at the Forget-Me-Not Club, a new memory café launched at the Salvation Army’s Rhosddu base in Wrexham, which is tackling the devastating illness from a religious standpoint.

Members are encouraged to reach into their pasts by reading psalms and singing familiar hymns.

“We have sat with people who have hardly said a word then we bring out a hymn book and they start to read ‘The Lord is my shepherd’ out aloud because it is something they can remember so well,” said Salvation Army minister Sandy Davis, who helps run the club.

“Some of the elderly people here can’t get out to chapel anymore, but they can recall the old hymns. So we have a sing-along and read psalms they can remember.”

Sandy says the club is the first memory cafe to be run by a religious organisation in Wrexham and she believes the focus on Christian teaching helps people come to terms with their condition.

Numbers have more than doubled since the first session was held three months ago – from 11 to around 30 – and the faith based meeting point for people with dementia and their carers was paid a visit by Wrexham MP Ian Lucas, whose wife, Norah, chairs the town’s dementia friendly steering group.

Some attend with their loved ones and carers, others come from two local residential homes, including Stansty House Nursing Home in Rhosnesni.

Susan Jones, who brings a group of around six to seven residents, said: “It is very good and they really enjoy it. Most of our residents have got dementia. People are staying at home a lot longer, then when it gets quite bad they come to a home like ours.

“We do reminiscence sessions too at the home by using memory boxes and showing old films from the 1950s.”

A loyal band of volunteers help out Sandy and community co-ordinator Rachel Durnell and members are encouraged to get involved in church life. They have been choosing favourite hymns that will be used at a service during the church’s dementia friendly sessions.

“We always have a theme – this month it was the seaside. We talk about how they went to these places and we always have a quiz each month,” outlined Sandy. “In the past we have done a Wrexham theme with games and raffles. We also use memory boxes packed with familiar articles.”

Pam Tomlinson attends with her husband, Grenville, who received a dementia diagnosis last year.

“It is good to keep in touch with people, although we do get out quite a bit anyway,” said Pam. “Grenville was a keen golfer and he still plays with his grandson – the family pick him up and fetch him back. We’ve got a good family who are helping out.

“He used to work at Fibreglass in Wrexham in the furnace and really enjoys coming.”

There are more than 10,500 people affected by dementia in North Wales, with 1,700 of those living in the Wrexham area.

The dementia friendly steering group has achieved some notable successes towards making the town more ‘dementia friendly’ with local firms on board and support from MP Lucas, who says the Forget-Me-Not Club will add to the growing support there is for people with dementia in Wrexham.

“Dementia affects every family and we need to start a conversation with people about the illness,” said the MP.

“It is important for people who are suffering from dementia, for the family and carers to make contact and this is a great addition to all the work that is already going on in Wrexham to make the town dementia friendly. We are having a Memory Walk at Erddig on September 10 which will also help raise awareness of the issue.”

The Forget-Me-Not Club has secured a grant of around £1,000 from Wrexham Council which will be used to buy materials and resources.

“There are two residential homes opening up nearby so we will be looking into getting members there,” added Sandy. “We set out with the intention of reviewing it in about six months, but numbers are growing and it looks like it is meeting a need.

“I attended a church conference and while there I sensed there was a group in our community in Rhosddu who were lonely and vulnerable.

“We do an over 60s lunch club, but this is something more specific to the circumstances of the people who attend.”

l The Forget-Me-Not Club meets on the second Friday of every month at the Salvation Army’s centre on Garden Road in Rhosddu.