Nile Rodgers acts as ambassador for dementia music day

Musician and producer Nile Rodgers is to be this year’s ambassador for BBC Music Day as part of a new project to bring music to everyone living with dementia by 2020.

The multiple winning Grammy musician is a passionate advocate of the scheme; he has seen many of his family develop dementia, including his mother Beverly.

He told the BBC: “I’ve witnessed my mother’s and my aunt’s experience with dementia, and I know just how transformational music can be for people with this condition.”

“I think this is a fantastic initiative… Everyone faces challenges at one point or another and music can be your greatest ally at those important times.”

The fifth BBC Music Day takes place on 26 September 2019 ahead of the opening of the Harmonia dementia village in Kent.

More than 50 organisations are involved in the collaboration including Alzheimer’s Society, Age UK, Alzheimer Scotland, Dementia UK, NHS England, Nordoff Robbins, Live Music Now and Utley Foundation.

The BBC has asked the general public to email them with suggestions of what they are doing for music day at BBCMusicDay@bbc.co.uk.

A list of organisations taking part in the music and dementia initiative include:

• Nations Dementia Working Group

• Age UK

• Alzheimer Scotland

• Alzheimer's Research UK

• Alzheimer’s Society

• Alzheimer’s Wiltshire

• Arts In Care Homes

• Care England

• Carers UK

• Creative Dementia Arts Network

• Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy

• Dancing With Dementia

• Dementia UK

• Forget Me Note Chorus

• Found In Music

• Home Instead Senior Care

• Live Music Now

• Lost Chord

• Luminate Scotland

• Magic Me

• MHA

• Music 24

• Music as Therapy International

• Music For My Mind

• Music in Hospitals & Care

• Music Mind Spirit Trust

• NAPA

• National Care Association

• National Dementia Action Alliance

• NHS England

• Nordoff Robins

• Playlist for Life

• Purple Angel

• Rock Choir

• Royal Academy of Music

• So Many Beauties

• Songhaven

• Studio Meineck

• Sunrise and Gracewell Communities

• The Mede

• The Together Project

• Tune for Life

• Turtle Key Arts

• UK Dementia Research Institute

• University of Edinburgh

• University of Nottingham

• University of Salford

• University of the Arts

• Utley Foundation's Music for Dementia 2020

• Vamos Theatre

• Wigmore Hall

• X-System

• Young Dementia UK