Give The Gift Of Time And Change The Tune For Someone In Need
Luton based community music charity, Music24, is urging people to consider gifting their time to support a good cause in their community.
Luton based community music charity, Music24, runs Singing Cafes and music groups for adults living with dementia, learning disabilities and mental health challenges across various locations in Bedfordshire. Running for over 12 years, Music24 knows very well, how valuable volunteers are and how they help change people’s lives for the better.
“We are always looking for volunteer musicians, session support workers and fundraisers,” said Jen Harris, the charity’s Operations Lead, “they are the beating heart of our charity. Many of our Service Users tell us that coming to sing, dance and play instruments with Music24, is life-changing – our volunteers are essential to making this happen on a weekly basis.”
Graeme Davis, Music24 Co-Founder and Lead Music Therapist said, “For many volunteers it’s not only about giving back and helping out, it also forms part of their weekly routine. The growth of their own social network in meeting other volunteers and being part of a team, results in their own wellbeing and happiness.”
Di Pook, a Music24 Dementia group volunteer explained, “I used to bring my partner to their [Music24] sessions, and when I lost him, I sort of lost myself, if that makes sense, and so I decided to volunteer with Music24. It’s giving me some purpose back to my life and I feel that I can help some of the other people in the way that Music24 helped my partner.”
Volunteering for a charity like Music24 can be very rewarding in many ways; like seeing, first hand, the positive impact that they make, making new friends, enjoying opportunities to participate at special one-off or annual events and, of course, being recognised for their contribution of precious time.
Jen Harris said, “Volunteers make a huge difference to people's lives in just a few hours every week. They don't have to be musicians to join Music24 - just kind, compassionate, fun-loving, supportive, empathic, encouraging, inspiring and full of community spirit and creative energy! Now is the time to volunteer. You are needed.”
You can volunteer with Music 24 via Simply Connect, all you need to do is sign up and apply! If you have any questions please email volunteering@cvsbeds.org.uk
This role is vital to the success of Music24's therapeutic music-making sessions for people living with dementia, learning disabilities and mental heath conditions. Community Musicians should ideally play Piano or Guitar sufficiently enough to lead on an exercise. They support the Music Therapist and/or Lead Facilitator(s) in running the session.
Volunteer Session Support Worker
This role is a very important part of what makes Music24 successful. We need open-minded and caring people to support the main thread of work in our sessions that provide therapeutic music-making opportunities to people living with dementia, learning disabilities and mental health conditions. Support Workers need to leave their inhibitions at the door and allow themselves to be ‘silly’ within the music, so a good sense of humour is a must! This allows others to ‘let go’ themselves.
Music24, a Bedfordshire-based Music Therapy Charity that supports adults Beds and Herts living with Dementia, Learning Disabilities or Mental Health challenges. We are looking for a number of energetic volunteers to join our team of fundraisers. This is a vital role within our organisation because we need to raise funds to support our much-needed work. Fundraising activities could include bucket collections, running your own fundraising event, or helping at fundraisers that we organise and engaging with the public..
