To Romania with Music!

Dear <<First Name>>

Dave Emptage (our Trustee) and Dave Beale (above) self funded their trips out to Romania this summer to see how the work you support is progressing at our school and in the hospital, where the majority of our students live. They took their guitars and an array of percussion instruments to promote music therapy which was a huge success!

Holding music sessions in both the hospital and at our school, many still remember the songs that Dave Emptage has played on his past visits and from our times as volunteers living and volunteering in Romania in the early 1990's when they were small children. They always ask other Trustees on their visits when he and others would be returning to play, singing these songs to us or practising Yoga movements, breathing and relaxation techniques that Sylvia Gurr (Trustee) taught alongside music sessions when they were children.

Dave Beale also noted, "it was striking how, in the calmer atmosphere of the school, some of the more challenging behaviour we had seen in the hospital had been significantly moderated". From one session in the hospital, "some of my most powerful memories... I can clearly see the beaming faces of two of the most reserved of the residents. One of them had been sitting, crossed legged, on a bench at the back of the [hospital] "garden" seemingly taking little part in the proceedings. When we sang directly to him, his whole face lit up in an astonishing transformation"

This shows how powerful these visits and the music are, that our beneficiaries are remembered and continued to be given opportunities to express themselves and interact through song, dance, music and movement, giving them positive memories to build on and overcome their adverse experiences. This is something we have strongly encouraged over the past 20 years or so in all aspects of our work.

Before their visit they held a fundraising gig to buy percussion instruments, sensory toys, guitar stands, strings and two guitars to leave at our project after they held a master class with our teachers to continue their work with our students. The rest of the money raised was donated to School for life Romania.

A big thank you to Dave, Dave and The Golden Lion in Lancaster who has supported our fundraising gigs over the years!