We're incredibly proud to celebrate the launch of our 8th Dementia Disco, which officially kicked off at the Timperley Sports Club on Friday 1st May. This milestone marks a significant expansion of our mission to bring joy, music, and community to those who need it most.
The Journey to Timperley
Our journey in Trafford began in November 2025, when Nick Shaw attended the 'Arts, Health, Action' event at the Waterside Theatre in Sale. That single event sparked a chain reaction, paving the way for two vital new locations: Stretford and now, Timperley.
Through Nick’s connections and the incredible backing of Helen Gollins (Director of Public Health, Trafford) and Zoe Ball (Trafford Council), we turned a vision into a reality. The launch was a resounding success, with 50 local residents joining us to hit the dance floor.
A Full Circle Moment
The choice of venue was deeply personal for our lead volunteer, Jo Nicholson. In a touching "full circle" moment, Jo shared that her parents actually met at this very club many years ago! Having Jo’s dad there, who is living with dementia, made the evening even more special, serving as a beautiful reminder of why these events are so vital for families.
Star Talent: We were thrilled to have Resident DJ Speedy (Alex Speed) and the legendary Alan Keegan, the "Voice of Old Trafford," keeping the energy high.
Our Heartfelt Thanks
An event of this scale is a team effort. We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to:
Lead Volunteers: Jo Nicholson and Lucy McElhinney for their fantastic coordination.
Catering: Bounceback Catering for providing the fantastic soup and sandwiches that kept everyone dancing.
Supporters: Our partners at Trafford Council and the local Public Health directorate.
Join Us Next Time!
Missed the launch? Don't worry! The Timperley Disco is now a regular fixture. We meet the last Friday of every month from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Next Date: Friday 29th May.
Location: Timperley Sports Club, Stockport Rd, Altrincham WA15 7LU
Tickets: Entry is free, but please book your tickets at www.dementiadisco.org/events.
For more information, feel free to call us at 0300 102 7042 or email hello@dementiadisco.org.
Upcoming events from Dementia Disco
We're incredibly proud to have served as the Charity Partner of the Year for Glampfest in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. Despite some heavy downpours, the spirits of our team and the festival-goers remained high, proving that the joy of music and dance can truly weather any storm.
Bringing the Boogie to Knaresborough
Throughout the weekend, we worked to bring our vision to life: creating a world where every person living with dementia can experience the joy of music and dance every day. The festival was packed with highlights, including:
We were also thrilled to have special guests join us, including our very own Ailsa McPhee from The Daily Dance, our program of short, accessible dance routines designed to help people stay active and connected, and the lovely Karen Thomas from Dementia Forward.
Incredible Fundraising Success
We're delighted to announce that we have raised approximately £500.00 so far, with donations still rolling in! These funds were raised through collection buckets and our festival stall, where we sold exclusive merchandise to fund our mission. Every penny raised goes directly toward keeping the music playing for those who need it most.
This success was made possible by our incredible team of young volunteers, Reuben, Monty, Alisa, Cole, Alec, Emma, and Jake, who worked tirelessly all weekend. We also owe a massive thank you to our dedicated parents (Leah, Alex, Andrew, Alison, Nic, Joe, and Viki) for their unwavering support.
A Growing Mission
While we don’t have a regular disco in North Yorkshire just yet, the success of Glampfest brings us one step closer to changing that. For those inspired by the weekend, we offer a toolkit to help you start a dementia-friendly disco in your own community.
Our heartfelt thanks go to Sarah Martin, Founder and Director of Glampfest, for choosing Dementia Disco CIO as the official charity partner.
Want to get involved?
Visit our website: www.dementiadisco.org
We're incredibly proud to support Nick Shaw as he embarks on an epic 24-hour Dance-a-thon across Stockport! Starting on Friday 26th June, Nick will be taking his mission on the road, visiting every Life Leisure hub from Houldsworth Village to Cheadle to keep the rhythm going for a full day and night.
Still Dancing, Still Fighting
This marathon effort follows our successful #DanceAgainstDementia campaign last year. During that campaign, our community logged an incredible 5,668 dances to protest the removal of dementia diagnosis targets from the NHS Operational Planning Guidance for 2025-26.
While the policy landscape changes, our message remains the same: we're still dancing, still fighting, and still proving that it is possible to live well with dementia. Nick’s 24-hour journey is a testament to that resilience and a vibrant protest against the status quo.
Join the Route: Where to Catch Nick
We want to show Nick the full strength of the Stockport community! Whether you want to break a sweat or just cheer him on, here is where you can find him:
Friday 26th June:
10:30 am: Pilates at Houldsworth Village
1:00 pm: Pickleball / Table Tennis at Brinnington Park
5:15 pm: Spin Class at Hazel Grove
6:30 pm: Run n Rave at Cheadle
Saturday 27th June:
10:00 am: Zumba at Grand Central
The Grand Finale: A celebratory Conga onto Viaduct Park to cross the finish line!
A Community Effort
This ambitious event wouldn't be possible without the incredible support of the team at Life Leisure. We would like to say a huge thank you to Lisa Arrandale and Jess Brown for their help in coordinating this journey. A special shout-out to Jess for her inspired "Run and Rave" idea—we can't wait to see the energy on the streets of Cheadle!
How You Can Support
Nick is doing the hard work on the dance floor, but he needs your help to amplify the mission:
Engage: Like, comment, and share our posts to help us change the narrative around dementia.
Support: Help us raise vital awareness for dementia care and local support services.
Donate: If you are able, please contribute to our fundraising efforts here: https://lnkd.in/e8qnFZHc
Let’s get behind Nick and show everyone that Stockport dances together!
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At Dementia Disco, we believe that providing meaningful work experience is far more than an act of corporate social responsibility; it is a powerful investment in future-shaping talent. We reject the idea that students or professionals returning to academia should spend their placements making tea or shadow-watching from the sidelines. Instead, we champion real-world ownership, strategic autonomy, and the platform to make an authentic impact on the communities we serve.
That is why, starting this week, we are handing over the keys.
For the next 12 weeks, three remarkably talented postgraduate students from the University of Salford and the University of Liverpool will completely take over and manage all social media, digital production, and B2B communications for Dementia Disco. They bring an extraordinary blend of senior industry leadership, high-end creative execution, and fresh, data-driven academic insights to our charity.
Please Join Us in Welcoming Our 2026 Placement Team:
🎵 JAIDEEP NATH (JD) – Digital Production & Marketing MA (Salford)
JD joins us as an Executive Producer and Creative Director, bringing an incredible 25 years of end-to-end leadership across broadcast television, digital, and experiential media. Currently deepening his expertise in platform-native creator economies and data-driven brand storytelling, JD will be spearheading our creative direction, multi-platform campaigns, and long-term brand partnerships. It is a privilege to have his senior industry perspective guiding our growth.
📸 Henry Benedict – Photographer & Post-Production Specialist
Henry brings over five years of professional photography and high-end photo retouching experience to the team. With technical precision across Photoshop and Lightroom, Henry will be capturing the visual heartbeat of our discos. His work will ensure that our community’s stories are told through polished, authentic, and high-quality imagery that truly reflects the joy of our events.
💡 Isabella Grace Carter – Digital Video Production & Marketing MA (Salford) / Film Studies & History BA Hons (Liverpool)
Isabella is a talented digital video producer and creative marketer specialising in audience engagement, entertainment marketing, and strategic digital production standards. Isabella will be leading our short-form video strategies, ensuring our events and missions connect dynamically with new and existing audiences alike across all social platforms.
Scaling Our Mission
Over the next three months, this team will be driving awareness for our eight monthly discos, our digital platform Dementia Disco TV, and our Daily Dance initiative. Their goal is to scale our digital footprint and bring a new level of structure and innovation to our mission.
We are excited to see the energy they bring to the table. Welcome to the team, JD, Henry, and Isabella—let’s keep the music playing! 🎧✨
We would like to thanks Sarah Hodgetts MA Creative Video Production and Marketing for making this happen!
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On Tuesday 19th May, I had the absolute privilege of attending the Stockport Rocks 2026 awards at Stockport County's Edgeley Park. I was kindly invited by one of our amazing Dementia Disco CIO volunteers, Eirwen Stevens, for what turned out to be a truly moving evening.
This was my second time attending this fantastic event, which is beautifully organised by Sector 3 Stockport. Once again, I left feeling incredibly inspired; it is truly humbling to be in a room filled with so many selfless individuals doing wonderful work across our Stockport community.
Celebrating Our Nominees
A massive congratulations to our phenomenal volunteers who were nominated for their outstanding, long-standing contributions to our charity:
Jan Allen: Jan has been with us since day one in July 2019. She has generously allowed us to use the Con Club as our venue and has cooked up a delicious hotpot for our guests every single month.
Jean England, Eirwen Stevens, and Deborah Puttick: These dedicated individuals have given countless hours of their time, volunteering at our discos across multiple locations over the years.
Winners in Our Eyes
Although we didn't take home a trophy last night, these four women are absolute winners in our eyes. Our charity simply couldn't do what we do without their dedication, heart, and tireless energy. They are the backbone of our mission to bring music and joy to those living with dementia.
Thank you, Sector 3, for a memorable evening celebrating the very best of Stockport! 🙌
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As part of #DementiaActionWeek, we recently hosted our very first disco at Stockport’s vibrant creative hub, Stockroom, located in the Merseyway Shopping Centre. Stockroom is often called Stockport's "community living room," and its focus on culture and connection made it the perfect home for an evening of music and joy.
A Night to Remember
The event took place on Friday 22nd May, and it was truly a wonderful time for everyone involved. We were delighted to welcome people living with dementia, their carers, families, and even children to this fantastic new central location.
We were especially touched to be joined by residents from Davenport Manor. Their team shared a beautiful reflection on the evening:
"Our ladies had such a wonderful evening full of music, dancing, laughter, and making special memories together. Living in a care home doesn't mean life stops; it means continuing to enjoy new experiences, friendships, and happy moments together. Nights like these remind us all that fun, joy, and community are for everyone."
Highlights from the Dance Floor
The energy in the room was electric, thanks to some very special contributors:
The Voice of Old Trafford: The legendary Alan Keegan was on the decks spinning the classics. A huge thank you to Alan for his wonderful DJ set and the way he engaged with the crowd, even getting everyone involved in a massive group dance!
Daily Dance: We were thrilled to have Ailsa McPhee join us to film a segment for The Daily Dance, capturing the spirit of the event for our digital community.
We'd also like to thank Pure Innovations for providing the catering, the soup and sandwiches were delicious!
Next Gen Support: Three students from Stockport School joined the fun and took to the floor to lead a spirited rendition of the Macarena, showing everyone exactly how it’s done!
Community, Connection, and Coffee
Beyond the dancing, our guests enjoyed a free meal along with tea and coffee, all provided at no cost to ensure the event was accessible to all.
Nights like these prove that music and dance are powerful tools for staying connected to the local community. We are so grateful to everyone who attended and helped make our Stockroom debut such a success.
Interested in joining us? Keep an eye on our website for future events at Stockroom and across Stockport! 🔗 www.dementiadisco.org/events
A world where every person living with dementia can experience the joy of music and dance every day.
To bring everyone affected by dementia into a joyful rebellion through a national network of inclusive discos where music, dance and human connection help people live well.
Until the next time keep dancing!
Kate
