On Thursday February 25,The Music Well held a Friends Party at the new scout hut. The hut had been transformed into a jazz lounge and music was provided by The Music Well Band, as well as the Singing for Wellbeing group and an informal drum circle.
Stephen Clift, Chairman, spoke about the work of The Music Well focusing on Mary’s Fund (a fund enabling children living in difficult circumstances to access music therapy sessions) set up after the death of little Mary Shipstone in September 2014. Liz Butt was the music therapist working with Mary before her death and she was interviewed for the BBC Southeast news the morning of the party and spoke a little about Mary and her music therapy. We were fortunate to have Mary’s mum attend the party with her new baby Daisy.
Stephen also talked about the singing group and encouraged other members of the community to join the regular meeting at Tilling Green Community Centre on Tuesdays at 12:45 pm. He also spoke about the Ican project, using iPads for creative music sessions with people suffering from dementia. This is a lottery funded project and is proving invaluable and very interesting. The Music Well is planning a study day on Music in Dementia care on June 25.
The party was well attended and buzzed with interest and good music.
If you would like to find out more about the work of The Music Well or to access Mary’s Fund please contact us at enquiries@themusicwell.org.uk or phone 01797 226330.
Photo: Kenneth Bird