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Alzheimers Society Conference 2025 London “Our South Shields: Thanks for the Memories”
Our Creative Health and Wellbeing group presented “Our South Shields: Thanks for the Memories” as an exhibition at the Alzheimer's Society Conference 2025. This work is funded by England Heritage. “Our South Shields: Thanks for the Memories” brings to life the overlooked working-class history of local South Asian and other global majority groups in South Shields living with or impacted by dementia.
This creative project is a dynamic cultural partnership between local people, Beamish Museum, Balbir Singh Dance Company (BSDC), and Professor Paul Chazot, a Challenge Academy Director in the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing (WRIHW) at Durham University, whose recent Fuse Health award-winning work includes health and wellbeing research, with a focus on dementia. This collaboration is dedicated to creating a supportive and enriching environment that preserves and celebrates South Shields’ cultural heritage but also enhances the wellbeing and quality of life for those living with dementia, while fostering a positive outlook for the future. The collaborative project “Our South Shields: Thanks for the Memories” delves into the lives of South Asians who settled in South Shields in the 1950s, documenting their experiences and contributions through oral histories interviews, with a focus on those living with dementia. This project highlights the transformation of South Tyneside from a mining region to a leisure destination, emphasizing the cultural richness and resilience of its diverse communities.
Were you or your relatives living in South Shields in the 1950s-1970s? Do you have memories of life in the newly arrived communities? We want to hear your stories! Share your experiences and help us celebrate the rich history of South Shields. Join our project based in Clover Cottage, Beamish Museum. Connect with others who remember those times. Join us in preserving cherished memories of South Shields Learn more by visiting our websites: