30th May 2019

What a voice! Maurice Smith, who lives with dementia, has delighted thousands with his rendition of Singing in the Rain, filmed during a singsong in the car with support worker Diane Vose.

Mr Smith, 82, from Warminster in Wiltshire, used to sing professionally in local dance bands in the 1950s and 60s, but life has slowed down for him since being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s five years ago.   

Alzheimer's Support support worker Diane said: “I spend time with Maurice every week to give his wife Ann a well-earned rest. For the first few weeks we chatted a lot about football. Then  one day I had the radio on and he just started singing. I couldn’t believe what a wonderful voice he had.

“I thought he would enjoy going to one of our Music for the Mind singing groups and there is one that meets on a Wednesday when I see Maurice. They were blown away by Maurice!  Now we go to Seend every week and we always sing in the car on the way there. He still has an amazing voice and he is so happy when he is singing. I think it has really helped him.  

“I love supporting Maurice and I love my job.”

Diane's video of Maurice singing in the car has been watched thousands of people on social media and has now been shared by Metro News UK who said they loved the film and knew their readers would too. 

Maurice and his fellow Music for the Mind singers will be putting on a special concert to help raise funds for Alzheimer’s Support this summer.

More about Music for the Mind

BBC Wiltshire audio clip about our Seend group (at 37 minutes in)