Nordoff Robbins
This year The Classic FM Foundation will be working with Nordoff Robbins to provide over 4,000 music therapy sessions for children living with illness, disability, trauma or isolation; transforming their lives through the power of music.
“Clap your hands. Tap your feet. Sing out loud. Dance or stomp. Shout or cry. We all react to music in different ways. But we all react. Because music has a universal power to reach us, touch us and make us feel different.” – Nordoff Robbins
Nordoff Robbins is the largest charitable provider of music therapy services in the UK, specialising in transforming the lives of individuals through the power of music. They reach out to some of the most marginalised, challenging and vulnerable children in our society and a large proportion of their work is with people who have disabilities, severe illnesses or special needs. These include communication disorders, autistic spectrum disorders, physical and/or mental health problems, learning difficulties, brain injuries, trauma through abuse, emotional-behavioural difficulties and terminal illness.
Mia’s story:
Mia was three years old when she began music therapy with Nordoff Robbins. Her premature birth had led to many health and developmental problems, and long periods of hospitalisation. With poor muscle tone and a defective heart she still could not walk independently. She was fed through a tube in her nose until she was three, and her speech by this point consisted of only about twelve words. Mia was afraid of other children coming close and was frightened by noise. In short, her future looked grim. But in individual and then group music therapy over two years, Mia blossomed. “Music party”, as she came to call music therapy, was a space where she could relate and connect to others through the sheer joyfulness of making music. She became animated and confident, playing her part with creativity and self-assurance. Music therapy helped Mia discover a new world of possibility. Soon she was walking independently, speaking in sentences, enjoying her interactions with the other children and expressing affection to her family for the first time. Mia’s mum says: “Astonishing changes have taken place. We have seen Mia’s world open up, as have my husband’s and mine. Music therapy has the power to change lives.”
Help us make a difference - Just £10 could subsidise a child whose family can not afford to pay full fees to have a session of Nordoff Robbins music therapy - click here to donate now.
Thank you
