Sunday 2 July is the UK’s third annual Thank You Day, which in the last two years has brought over 15 million people together to strengthen bonds and create kinder communities. This year, to say a special thank you to unpaid carers, Music for Dementia has recorded a song with Tony Christie to get the nation singing. The track also features Alzheimer Scotland social media ambassador Graeme Sutherland, who cares for his mum Linda.
Graeme told us about his experience;
“When I was asked to take part in the Thank You day recording, I immediately said yes. Having witnessed carers and being a carer myself, I can say first hand how much hard work is done that often goes really under appreciated. I jumped at the chance to say thank you to all the carers that have helped – and still help - my family.
Caring for Mum is an emotional rollercoaster and I feel strongly about sharing our story on social media to raise awareness and to show others that they are not alone. I want to highlight that even after diagnosis, there can still be good times. Mum still finds joy in our company, she still enjoys going to new places and revisiting places we loved years ago. She doesn’t remember those times anymore but we take comfort that she’s happy and feels secure. It isn’t always like that – sometimes Mum cries a lot and that’s upsetting to witness. Those days are hard – physically and emotionally but we try to make the most of the here and now, making sure Mum is as content as possible.
I really enjoyed meeting the other carers taking part in the recording and hearing their stories. It was a great day, after a tour of the fantastic recording studio, we got to meet Tony Christie, his wife and the producers of the song. We were then interviewed by BBC Breakfast. Recording the song was an amazing experience. We are all dancing around and having fun. Afterwards we got to watch the orchestra record their parts. I can’t wait to show everyone the finished product. I hope as many people as possible will get involved with the campaign and say a big thank you to all the unsung heroes out there!”
On Thank You Day, people across the UK are invited to sing along to "Thank You for Being a Friend" at 12:55pm with BBC Radio 2. You can find more information about the event and how to get involved at the Thank You Day website here.
