The delicate strains of a string quartet brought smiles to the faces of dozens of stroke survivors and people with dementia.

An old-fashioned singalong also filled the Jacqueline du Pre Music Building, at St Hilda’s College, in Cowley Place, Oxford, with melodies as part of the Moving Music initiative.

The scheme was created to offer free classical music concerts to carers and the people they look after.

Among those at the most recent concert was carer Sheila Jenson, who brought along 82-year-old dementia sufferer Jessie Sheppard.

Mrs Jensen, who lives in Headington, said: “The string quartet was very good. They came up and spoke to the lady I took up, Jessie, and said how nice it was to see somebody sat in the row who was obviously enjoying the concert.”

Mrs Jensen has taken a number of different elderly people to the concerts, including members of the West Way Day Centre, which she runs in Botley twice a week.

She said: “Music is very important to them and the fact they can sit there and listen to professional musicians and join in with the singalong just means so much to them.”

Les Denny, 83, from Littlemore, a carer for his wife Eve, who has had dementia for the past two years, was also at Wednesday’s concert. He did not bring his wife to last week’s event, as she was not feeling well, but has taken her to Moving Music events in the past.

Mr Denny said: “Every time they’re available, I relish it, it’s great.

“When I went to the first one, I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was great fun and the people all rallied around. It was a big, happy mob.”

Music came from a string quartet from the Orchestra of St John, which provides a selection of musicians for each of the concerts.

Orchestra founder John Lubbock said: “I think the concerts are absolutely wonderful.”

The Moving Music concerts are in their second year and were originally funded by Arts Council England.

They are now paid for by Oxfordshire County Council’s social and community services department.

Two more events will be held in the city this year, on Monday, May 11, and Thursday, July 16.

Free places in the audience can be reserved in advance by sending an email to alexandra@osj.org.uk, by calling 07725 721245 or contacting Oxford Carers’ Centre on 01865 205192.

fbardsley@oxfordmail.co.uk