Soap actress visits care home for dementia charity

Sian Reeves said she loved hearing stories from care home residents

Actress Sian Reeves, best known for her roles in Emmerdale and drama Cutting It, has joined a sing-along at a care home in Shropshire to raise money for a dementia charity.

She visited Wheatlands Care Home in Much Wenlock on Tuesday to support a project that aims to raise £25,000 for charity Dementia Adventure.

Reeves, who has also appeared in Coronation Street and BBC Three sitcom Lunch Monkeys, said singing had a "miraculous" way to connect people.

She said during a similar visit elsewhere one woman had spoken for the first time in a decade.

"There's energy, there's memories and then it [singing] encourages speech," she said.

Born in Birmingham, Reeves began virtually singing with care home residents during lockdown, and since then has promoted it as a form of therapy for people with Alzheimer's disease.

She has also raised money for the Alzheimer's Society.

The trip to Much Wenlock was in support of singer Harriet Thomas, who was visiting the care home as part of her 900-mile walk (1,448km) in 90 days, which aims to challenge the perceptions that exist around dementia.

Harriet Thomas is walking 900 miles to raise money for charity

The walk from Land's End to John O'Groats is inspired by her mother, who had dementia for 12 years before she died in October.

"My mum was very much an outdoor person and she taught me how to be outside and look at all the small miracles," she said.

The money raised will go to Dementia Adventure, which supports people to get outdoors, experience the benefits of nature and reduce isolation.

As part of Ms Thomas's journey, she is also hosting a podcast, speaking to celebrities like Tony Christie, who lives with dementia.

Christie, who lives in Lichfield, revealed his diagnosis in January 2023 and has since released a song to raise funds for Music for Dementia, which uses music as therapy.