A FIFE charity which provides meaningful music to help ease symptoms of dementia has been recognised at a national awards show.

Playlist for Life has been shortlisted as a finalist for Charity of the Year – turnover under 500k – at the Scottish Charity Awards 2024.

The project, which serves to create personalised playlists to help people with dementia connect with music, is one of four finalists to make the cut.

Michael Timmons, executive director at Playlist for Life, said: “We’re very proud to be recognised as finalists in the small Charity of the Year category at the Scottish Charity Awards.

“2023 was a huge year for us as we celebrated our 10th anniversary and during this time we supported 60,000 people living with dementia thanks to our volunteers, supporters and community of 500 help points and all the healthcare and social care professionals working to embed personalised playlists into dementia care.”

Alongside creating playlists for those with dementia to listen to, the charity also puts on concerts and shows for them to attend.

As reported by the Press in February, the charity’s founder Sally Magnusson held an event in Dunfermline to raise funds for Playlist for Life.

This included hosting a version of the popular quiz show Mastermind which Sally’s father Magnus Magnusson was the original presenter of.

This event was held to mark 10 years of Playlist for Life and to celebrate the work they had done for people with dementia over the last decade.

Michael continued: “Playlists are a simple idea, but they can have a hugely positive impact on the health and wellbeing of people living with dementia, and those who care for them.

“We say that everyone has a soundtrack to their life, and that’s really what a playlist is: a list of tunes that take you back to a time and place.

“We help people discover the playlist of their life through our free resources and support, available from our website and from hundreds of local community groups and organisations around the country.”

Playlist for Life is currently hard at work getting set for National Playlist Day, held this year on Sunday, September 22.

The charity will be using this day to spearhead and raise awareness of the benefits music can have on people with dementia.

Michael added: “This campaign will make 2024 another huge year for us and we look forward to celebrating the big difference our small charity can make at the Scottish Charity Awards ceremony next month.”

Playlist for Life will be heading to the Raddison Blu in Glasgow for the final of the Scottish Charity Awards, set for Thursday, June 20.

Members of the public can vote for Playlist for Life for the People’s Choice Award – voting closes on Friday, May 24 at 5pm and can be found at scvo.scot/vote.