TO celebrate International Older Persons Day tomorrow ( Sunday October 1) The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre have announced its dementia-friendly cinema screenings will continue for 2017 and into 2018.

Working in partnership with Home Instead Senior Care, The Spring launched a programme of relaxed dementia-friendly ‘Forget-Me-Not Cinema’ screenings for the local community earlier this year. This has proved to be such a success that the programme is continuing and has garnered additional support from Pfizer Havant.

All the films chosen are classic movies from light-hearted musicals such as Calamity Jane, to dramas including To Kill A Mocking Bird. Mark Gettinby, Director of Home Instead Senior Care Havant, said, “Home Instead Havant are delighted to have championed this concept and to see Forget Me Not Cinema now go from strength to strength. These films have such an emotional connection with many people, and that evokes positive memories from those who may have seen them in this setting when they were first released. It is magical to see people reconnect with these classic films.”

The upcoming ‘Forget-Me-Not Cinema’ shows are:

Monday 2 October at 11am - Carousel

Monday 6 November at 11am – To Kill A Mockingbird

Monday 4 December at 11am – It’s A Wonderful Life

Monday 8 January at 11am – On the Waterfront

Monday 5 February at 11am – Calamity Jane

Monday 5 March at 11am – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Monday 9 April at 11am – Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Tickets are £4.50 each including either tea or coffee.

Director at The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, Sophie Fullerlove, said “It’s wonderful that our ‘Forget-Me-Not Cinema’ has been so successful with members of our community, particularly those who may not otherwise be able to access the cinema. We are delighted that we are to continue this programme of relaxed shows into the future and be able to offer everybody the chance to engage with the arts in a friendly environment.”

At these special screenings, lights are dimmed rather than switched off and people are free to move around the cinema. Everything has been created to be particularly suitable for local people living with dementia, their family and their carers. There will also be Home Instead Senior Care caregivers in attendance, who are trained dementia specialists.

Tickets can be purchased from The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre Box Office on 023 9247 2700 or by visiting spring.co.uk