PEOPLE living with dementia are taking over the airwaves in a new radio play featuring them speaking about their memories.

The play features members of an activities club for people with dementia in Carterton recounting their childhood and adolescence in the 1970s.

Called Chaos in Carterton, it has 17 contributors from the Lights Up arts group based in Blenheim Court.

It was directed by Oxford-based documentary film-maker Sharon Woodward.

The 50-year-old said: “I used to run various community workshops and film people in them.

“But some people who had strokes weren’t particularly keen to be filmed. So I thought to myself, ‘How can I include these people and tell their story?’.”

To get around people’s concerns about being filmed, Ms Woodward instead decided to record people speaking about their memories.

After months of workshops, Ms Woodward created the radio play, where she plays a journalist interviewing people with dementia.

She said: “It’s incredible what memories are unlocked when you speak to people.

“For a lot of people in the group, they have a lot of problems recalling short-term memories, but many can remember their childhood and adolescence.

“A lot of the contributors talked about life in Carterton during the 1970s, so I based the play during that time.”

The play is now being broadcast via hospital radio station Radio Cherwell and Banbury Community Live Radio and is also being broadcast in Preston.

Ms Woodward said: “It’s been great to get so much coverage for the play.

“What I think is wonderful is that when these people spoke to me, you forget who they are and you’re instead transported to who they were.

“You have to remember these people were teenagers once, and I think the play does that.”

Founder of the Lights Up club in Carterton, Val McKay, said: “I have worked with Sharon before in Chipping Norton a couple of years ago – we did a similar play then.

“I think it’s delightful, it was good fun and it’s a great example of the things that people with dementia can still do.”

The 53-year-old added: “There are lots of ways people can live with dementia.”

Member of the group and dementia sufferer Pat Ward said: “Taking part in Chaos in Carterton was so interesting, and getting everyone’s ideas and pulling it all together brought back lots of memories.

“I enjoy coming to the club, it’s very friendly, everyone is good company and it always makes me laugh.”

The Carterton Lights Up club meets the second and fourth Thursday of every month at Blenheim Court in Sycamore Drive, between 10.30am and 12.30pm.

For more information contact Memory Clubs UK on 01454 810637.