Musical favourites Singin’ In The Rain and Hard Day’s Night are among the special film screenings for people living with dementia to be shown at Croydon’s David Lean cinema.
This is the second year that the cinema has organised for the films to be put on once a month, where the lights are turned down low and people are free to join in with the singing and dancing on screen should they wish to.
Admission is £1 on the door for people living with dementia (their carers get free entry). Free tea, coffee and biscuits will be available before shows.
The cinema has also included more culturally diverse musicals this year to appeal to a wider audience and the film schedule includes Carmen Jones (1954), starring Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge and Bollywood hit Parineeta (2005), starring Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt.
The screenings are part of the David Lean Cinema’s work with the Croydon Dementia Action Alliance (CDAA) to support the borough’s commitment to become a dementia friendly town.
More than 20 local organisations are members of the CDAA, which includes Croydon Council, the local NHS, emergency services, the voluntary sector, Age UK Croydon and more.
The Alzheimer’s Society, the UK’s leading dementia charity, has twice commended the CDAA for helping to raise awareness about dementia.
Councillor Janet Campbell, deputy cabinet member for families, health and social care said: “We are thrilled that the special dementia-friendly films will again be screened at Croydon’s David Lean cinema. We know that people living with Dementia often have to give up the things they like to do due to inaccessible and unsupportive environments. Croydon is an inclusive borough, and proud to support this very important initiative.”
David Lavelli, manager at the David Lean Cinema: “The dementia-friendly screenings give us the opportunity to welcome as many people as possible to the cinema. It also helps us to show other local businesses how making small changes can make a big difference to our communities.”
For more information and bookings for the dementia-friendly films, visit www.davidleancinema.org.uk/dementia-friendly-screenings/
