Our weekly Café Muse Hereford that helps veterans living with dementia rediscover memories, combat isolation, and build lasting friendships is continuing its life-changing work thanks to a new £29,732 grant from the Veterans’ Foundation.
Café Muse Hereford is a unique music-led dementia café where around 30 veterans and their families come together every week at The Courtyard in Hereford to enjoy live music, companionship, and specialist support in a safe and welcoming environment.
Each session blends live music, shared meals, and professional pastoral care delivered by experienced musicians and facilitators, including a military reservist and veteran, alongside specialists in veterans’ mental health and dementia care.
Participants are encouraged to sing, dance, play instruments, or simply listen; organisers say the greatest impact reaches far beyond the music.
“The really special thing about the Hereford group is the community because of that tie of them being veterans,” said Lucy Samuels, Orchestra and Development Manager. “As soon as they walk into the room, they know they’ve got that experience in common. They meet up outside the sessions and have formed strong relationships.”
One unforgettable moment captures the project’s impact. During a session, musicians began playing Somewhere Over the Rainbow, the first dance at one veteran’s wedding. Usually quiet and reserved due to advanced dementia, he stood, turned to his wife, and silently offered his hand.
“Everyone in the room realised something special was happening and moved aside to give them space,” Lucy continued. “It was amazing to see that memory triggered by the music, when normally he wouldn’t have been able to discuss anything like that. I remember watching, and everyone was in floods of tears.”
“Orchestra of the Swan’s Cafe Muse Hereford shows the power of music to unlock memories, rebuild confidence, and bring families closer,” said Jane Gurney, CEO, Veterans’ Foundation. “We are proud to fund this vital work so that more veterans living with dementia can feel supported and connected.”
The grant will fund Cafe Muse Hereford for a further year, marking the third time the Foundation has supported the programme. The continued investment reflects the proven impact of providing free, weekly music-led dementia café sessions for veterans and their families, helping them live better with dementia, reducing isolation, and strengthening family connections.
The strength of the community is evident even when the venue is unavailable: many regulars still gather informally at the café rather than miss their weekly catch-up. “I always think that’s really special,” Lucy concluded. “It shows how important these sessions are as a regular checkpoint for them.”
