Most if not all people have a particular moment when they start to think about Christmas. For some it is the appearance of mince pies on supermarket shelves before Bonfire Night, for others it is the ‘works' Christmas do’ but for me this year it was the carol concert held by Kendal Dementia Action Alliance.

Like all those attending I greatly enjoyed the wonderful singing provided by pupils from Vicarage Park Primary School and Queen Katherine School - and, of course, the rest of us. However it was the words written for us by Ruth M…, which really made me think of Christmas, words which I think apply to all of us, whether affected by Dementia or not:

“May we keep the paths free from litter and the streams from rubbish… Some of us have poor memories, Some of us get very confused, Some of us get impatient and cross. Some of us make lots of mistakes. We pray for those who are lonely and frightened, we thank you for those that visit them… We thank you for those with whom we can talk and hold nothing back, knowing that they would NOT laugh at our dreams or mock our failures…”

Can I suggest that, whether we hold to particular religious beliefs or none, these words, reflecting both the ‘Christmas message’ and ‘promises’ made at New Year, express what we all believe and want for ourselves and others.

Can I ask, therefore, that this Christmas everyone will take time to visit ‘the lonely and frightened’ and to listen to them and not laugh. For is the giving of a little of our time to those in need not the greatest gift we can give this Christmas?

Tom Clare

Vice Chair, Kendal Dementia Action Alliance