Our Butterfly Café Sessions 2026 with King’s College Hospital NHS

The Butterfly Café, co-hosted by Home Instead Wandsworth and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, has a 2026 calendar filled with a programme of lovely activities. Each session is different, a new theme, a fresh experience, and a different reason to come along. What remains the same, however, is the opportunity to spend two hours carved out of the week that belong entirely to them.

But before we shine a spotlight on some of the wonderful sessions coming up in the next few months, it feels right to take a moment to reflect on what 2026 has already brought through the doors.

What we’ve shared so far this year

We’ve kicked off the year with enriching sessions for people living with dementia: Rose’s Frog Life and Sensory Nature session brought the outdoors into the room through sight, sound, and touch to help reduce agitation and spark memories; Matthew’s Singing for the Brain session used the lasting power of music to connect with long-held memories; Jean’s poetry session invited participants to create together using rhythm, rhyme, and fragments of memory; and Ali’s live music session filled the space with sound that offered comfort, connection, and calm.

Upcoming sessions at Butterfly Cafe

Continuing the same spirit of joy, creativity, and gentle stimulation

Seated Exercise — 26 May 2026 with Susan

Even though exercise is one of the most effective ways to support people living with dementia, it is still often underused, largely because traditional exercise programmes are not designed specifically for people living with dementia. Seated exercise sessions, however, are specifically created to be safe, accessible, and adaptable across different stages of cognitive impairment.

By focusing on chair-based movement, these sessions remove the risk of falls and do not require complex balance or coordination, making them suitable for a wide range of abilities. Research has shown that structured exercise programmes can improve functional capacity and overall quality of life in people with mild-to-moderate dementia.

Beyond the physical benefits, exercise also plays an important role in improving mood, sleep, and behaviour. In particular, it has been found to help with some of the most challenging aspects of dementia, including low mood, agitation, and disrupted sleep, factors that can often have the greatest impact on day-to-day life at home.

Singing for the Brain — 2 June 2026 with Matthew

Of all the activities offered at the Butterfly Café, Singing for the Brain has perhaps the strongest body of evidence behind it. These sessions will run three times this year and remain a cornerstone of the programme for very good reason.

Music memory is stored in a part of the brain that often remains relatively intact, even as other types of memory begin to fade. A person who cannot recall what they had for breakfast may still be able to sing every word of a song learned fifty years ago. Singing can reach people at stages of dementia where other forms of engagement may struggle, and research has shown it can improve mood, reduce agitation, and even enhance communication between individuals and their carers.

That last point matters more than it might seem. One of the quieter losses that comes with dementia is the gradual erosion of a person’s sense of identity. Singing together, particularly familiar songs, creates a shared activity that helps reconnect people not only with memories, but with each other.

Dulwich Picture Gallery — 7 July 2026 with Charlotte

We will also be heading to Dulwich Picture Gallery, one of Britain’s oldest public galleries and a recognised dementia-friendly venue. Charlotte will guide the group through the collection, encouraging slower, more open conversations around a stunning range of Old Master paintings.

This promises to be one of the more distinctive sessions in this year’s calendar, offering a calm and reflective experience in a unique setting. The gallery is fully accessible, with all areas on one level, wheelchairs available to borrow, and plenty of seating throughout.

No prior knowledge of art is needed or expected, just a willingness to explore. Please note that visitors will need to arrange their own transport, as this session takes place at the gallery rather than at King’s.

Come and Be Part of It

All sessions take place on Tuesdays from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm in the Boardroom (opposite Marks & Spencer), Hambleden Wing, King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 9RS.

The café is completely free to attend, and no referral is needed.

You can view the full 2026 programme and find more details here: Butterfly Café Programme.

We would love to see you, whether you have joined us before or are visiting for the first time.