Dementia-friendly carol service spreading festive cheer at Salvation Army

Voices ring out at as people gather at a previous dementia-friendly Carol Service. Photo / File

The Rotorua community, including those with dementia, can come together in fellowship and enjoy singing a selection of traditional Christmas carols.

On December 13 the service is being at Rotorua Salvation Army, 1238 Amohia St, 2.30pm.

This is an annual inter-church event and everyone in the community is invited to join.

Hymn-along co-ordinator Melvyn Bowen says there are hymn-alongs held at different churches in Rotorua during the year and this is the year's final one.

He says they have a great turnout each year, and that it is a service where rest homes can bring people along and it is dementia-friendly.

The service will finish at 3.30pm with a cup of tea and mince pie.

Melvyn says he enjoys the event each year because it is Christmas and Christ centred, along with how all different churches come together.

"The public look forward to joining in, meeting friends and singing together."

Rotorua Salvation Army Church band leader Rex Rees says people like coming along to sing and celebrate Christmas together, and that it's a great time.

"We always enjoy singing carols and making music, especially Christmas music at this time of year, and we are celebrating the birth of Jesus."

He says it may also be the first time people had come together for a hymn-along in a long time after the year we have had.

The details
- What: Dementia-friendly Carol Service
- When: Sunday, December 13, 2.30pm
- Where: Rotorua Salvation Army, 1238 Amohia St
- Free