Singing for the Mind is a long-established, weekly singing session at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in St John’s Wood for people with memory loss, led by a trained song leader. Participants come with a carer or family member, or can come on their own if they have capacity to do so. The group is open to all local people as well as members of the synagogue. Refreshments are served before and after the singing, which provides a welcome chance for participants and carers to chat freely. Our volunteers say: “We find the singing sessions as uplifting as the participants tell us they do.” “It’s heartwarming to see how much the participants enjoy the music and how much they can relax and join in increasingly over a single session.” Volunteers are often told that these sessions are the ‘highlight of the week’ for many participants. The group meets every Thursday afternoon. Volunteers are present from 1.30 to 4pm Key responsibilities of the volunteers: • Generally, supporting the running of the session and joining in. • Encouraging participants to join in. • Facilitating introductions and conversation with participants during the informal parts of the sessions. • Helping with refreshments. • It is not necessary to be able to sing well! Volunteers work closely together as a team with ongoing support from the synagogue’s Community Care Co-ordinator. You don’t have to commit to volunteer every week.