Chinese Community dancers and performers entertain patients at the Hospice

The Living Well Service patients enjoyed a range of Chinese dancers (in colourful and authentic dress) and traditional British songs in the Living Well Service recently from the Chinese Community in Cambridge and the ‘Half Lecture Half Concert’ group from London.

The London-based group, founded by Siyang, is known for its distinctive format that blends musical performance with educational commentary, aiming to deepen the audience’s appreciation of the cultural and historical context behind each piece. This approach stems from the founders’ core belief in the power of art to connect people.

They started the project to bridge communities and generations, creating a platform for meaningful cultural exchange. For them, this work is vital because it goes beyond entertainment; it uses shared artistic experiences to combat isolation, foster understanding, and bring comfort to those who need it most.

Participants ranging from children to adults entertained the patients with both relaxing music whilst they played their instruments in public with a performance they thoughtfully titled ‘Let every note be a gentle footnote to the final chapter of life’. This included a charming and confident six year old with her violin, a student playing a trombone and a very talented University of Edinburgh alumni who performed a mesmerising piece on the ‘Pipa’, a traditional Chinese Lute.

Maggie, a social entrepreneur and volunteer from the Cambridge Chinese community, one of the event organisers who introduced the musicians and helped organise the performances, spoke about her work supporting women from diverse backgrounds to begin their entrepreneurial journeys. She also highlighted the importance of giving young people from Cambridge schools a platform to share their talents while supporting charitable causes.

“We aim to support women from the Chinese Community and provide a platform for young people attending schools in Cambridge to perform and support charities.” she shared.

She also noted the fitting atmosphere, describing the Hospice as “a very calm environment.”

The patients clearly expressed their enjoyment by singing along to classis such as Mary Poppin’s, ‘Feed the Birds’ (Tuppence a Bag) and ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’. They commented:

“I enjoyed the session this morning. The musician was very talented and the Pipa was a really unusual instrument.” and “It brought back memories of my time in Hong Kong – at the night markets the ladies were always dancing at one end.”

The event served as a powerful reminder of music and art’s ability to connect communities, bridge cultures and bring comfort and joy.

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Our ‘Outstanding’ services are provided free of charge to patients and their families. Our aim being to provide the highest quality care, helping people to make every moment count. You can find out more about how we are funded here: arhc.org.uk/how-we-are-funded.