Over the last 6 years Music4Children have been supporting the ‘ Cool Crew’ in Margate. They are an amazing group of young people aged 11-25 although the majority currently attending are teenagers around 13-16.

As you can imagine Covid-19 has wiped out the sessions. It's been a very slow process but we have now been able to take the workshops online. 

These young people live in an extremely deprived ward in Kent and have limited/no access to services that help and support them. 

We have been fundraising in order to deliver workshops every Thursday. These workshops are mainly music focused but are also a release to the day to day traumas and stress that these young people face in their lives. 

Over the years funding has been harder to access and as a result there have been times when the youth centre itself has been under pressure to continue. 

The truth is these young people will not have anywhere else to go! 

As many people know, I am not about labels but these young people are often excluded or prevented from day-to-day activities due to their various differences. And as I have come to learn, many disabilities are exacerbated by humans simply not putting in structure to support those who have been born unique.

Over the coming weeks I hope to raise £200 to help purchase some basic equipment so that the young people who attend are able to join us online. This equipment includes headphones and basic percussion equipment as well as a little treat for Christmas so that the young people are able to shake , make and create while feeling a part of something special.

Thank You to those who have supported our projects over the years and to all those that dig into their pockets when times are not easy for yourselves. We appreciate you.

Here are a couple case studies.

One Young Person would not even come in the room after 6 months of gentle nurturing now sits and creates music and then at the end of composition gets up and dances with me. They now also have the confidence to work with others where as before they would not leave my side. This young person’s parent can actually leave the venue now as well as the young person is happy in our company and is not constantly looking around the room for their parent to feel safe and reassured. 

Another in 2/3 years, which is how long they have attended, would never touch the mic or get involved, just sat watching, has recently built up the confidence and for the first time has started singing.

We have several young people  who have been through so much unnecessary trauma and yet, when they are with us collectively, we are able to provide them with fun, love and food to help them through their weeks! 

There are so many who join us and Jam, chill, chat, sing, rap and collectively create a safe space so that all can enjoy their time being artistic, creative and forgetting about their troubles for a few hours. 

Any help you can provide would be hugely appreciated.

Many Thanks