Music helps inspire memories in upper Teesdale

CLASSIC tunes have brought back fond memories for a group of dale seniors.
Utass (Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services) hosted their monthly Music and Memories session last week from their base in Middleton-in-Teesdale.
Residents from Beaconsfield and Manor House care homes, in Barnard Castle, made the journey up the dale to hear the stylings of Mike Bettison and Graham Henley on their ukuleles.
The upper dale sessions are paid for by Utass but the pair’s twice monthly appearances at the Methodist Church, in Barnard Castle, are funded by the Alzheimer’s Society.
Mr Bettison said: “People like a sing song.
“To be honest everyone has certain songs that take you to different places and they are memories for us as well.
“My mum has got Alzheimer’s and she can sing some of the songs all the way through – it’s different with everyone but as people lose their short term memory, their long term memory seems to get sharper.”