Using Music To Tackle Loneliness Amongst Older People

Gwynedd Council’s Community Arts Unit has commissioned Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias music centre to run a scheme which will aim to use music to tackle loneliness amongst older people in rural communities in the county. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The pilot scheme “Memories through Music – Connecting Generations” will try to reach older people who are isolated in rural areas of Gwynedd. Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias has been commissioned to carry out the work, by trialling a scheme in the Gellilydan and Bala communities over the next few months. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Mandy Williams-Davies, Cabinet Member for Gwynedd Council, who leads on the arts said: ”As a Council, we were eager to develop an innovative and exciting scheme that would offer alternative methods of reaching and working with older people in rural areas. We are very pleased with what Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias has planned and are looking forward to seeing the scheme in action. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The project will face the challenge of bridging the gaps in the provision of the arts in rural areas and the aim is to provide older people with an opportunity to engage with the arts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The aim of Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias is to connect generations, to bring them together to co-create through music. Their aim is to work with the younger generations in cooperation with local primary schools, and the older generation to try and enrich the lives of both generations.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Project Manager, Meinir Llwyd Roberts, from Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias added: “We are extremely pleased to be a part of this exciting scheme. Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias is eager to work within two communities that are different to each other, which are, Bala and Gellilydan. Both communities are quite different – Gellilydan is a small and quiet village while Bala is a busy rural town. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We felt that working within these two communities would give different opportunities to deal with and to try to tackle loneliness. Individuals can be lonely in a busy town, especially if they have moved there later in life, as well as individuals who live in quiet, isolated areas. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We believe that this project gives the opportunity for us to experiment with a scheme that will bring the oldest and youngest generation of our communities together through the arts by giving the older generation a voice within their community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are truly looking forward to seeing what this project can achieve and hope that we can, through music, enrich the lives of the oldest and youngest within some of Gwynedd’s rural communities.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias will work through the medium of music in two communities in Gwynedd, which are Gellilydan and Bala. In Bala, the music centre will work with residents at the Awel y Coleg extra care housing scheme in the town, and in Gellilydan the sessions will be open to the community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you’re an older person and live in Gellilydan or Bala area, are eager to be a part of this scheme, or know of someone who would enjoy this scheme, you are very welcome to contact Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias on 01286 685230 / post@cgwm.org.uk ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​