Today, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre announced a new partnership with solicitors FBC Manby Bowdler who have sponsored a dementia friendly Memory Café and variety show tour to reach out to those living with dementia.

The dementia friendly Memory Café’s will be held in the Grand Theatre’s Encore Lounge from 10am – 12pm on the final Friday of every month between April and September. They will be free to attend, and guests will be able to enjoy tea and coffee whilst being entertained by Grand Theatre pantomime and Music Hall stars, Ian Adams and Julie Paton. Each month the entertainment will follow a different theme including 50s, Wartime, Music Hall and more.

The cafés are a crucial part of the Grand Theatre’s mission to be as accessible as possible, and to further their offerings as a Dementia Friendly venue. Access and Operations Manager at the Grand Theatre Remy Lloyd said:

“I’m thrilled to be adding to the accessibility of the Grand Theatre with the cafés. Staff at the theatre recently completed Dementia Friendly sessions and this is yet another step in making sure that we welcome as many people as possible who live with the condition.

"The support from FBC Manby Bowdler has meant that we can provide multiple café sessions regularly throughout the next few months.”

Ian and Julie will also tour the performance aspect of the café to Residential Care Homes in a performance called VIVA VARIETY!. Performances are available to book on the final Thursday and Friday of every month from April – September 2019. Creative Learning Coordinator, James Collins, said:

“Touring the Dementia Café performances into Residential Care Homes is a project that I have been very keen to launch for some time. FBC Manby Bowdler have made this possible much sooner than we would have been otherwise able to.

"I look forward to being able to reach out to more members of the community who aren’t otherwise able to attend the Grand Theatre.”

Each hour-long performance costs £100 to tour and can be booked by emailing the Grand Theatre Creative Learning department.