The Power of Music Fund

The Power of Music Fund supports music projects that make an incredible difference to people’s physical and mental health. These include dementia choirs and singing groups, which can have a life-changing impact for people living with dementia and their carers.

Please support the fund and bring the power of music to someone living with the condition. Your donation will go towards developing, supporting and evidencing organisations such as dementia choirs, music projects in care homes, dementia-friendly performances and many more, all over the UK. It will help to ensure that these amazing projects are well connected to the health system, so people can get the support they need when they need it.

How your donation could help

£5 could pay for one person with dementia to take part in an uplifting singing session, complete with refreshments.

£10 could pay for a tambourine for any one-to-one or group music activities, to enhance the rhythmic experience of music.

£15 could help a person with dementia and their caregiver travel safely to a music group venue.

£65 could pay for an experienced musician to deliver a one-hour Musical Memories group session, offering a range of engaging musical activities and singing.

£150 could pay for two people with dementia to attend Singing for the Brain sessions for a year to enjoy their favourite songs and take part in gentle dance activities that helps their wellbeing.

Why is it needed?

Almost a million people are living with dementia in the UK, supported by nearly 700,000 unpaid carers.

Dementia is a progressive condition without a cure – but evidence shows that music projects can help to improve health and wellbeing, reduce stress, improve cognition, and encourage social and communication skills.

Dementia choirs and other grassroots groups that provide this support struggle to get the funding they need. Even small costs, to pay for room hire, transport and refreshments, can stop them from keeping going from one week to the next.

That is why we’ve set up The Power of Music Fund. We’re aiming to raise £5 million to bring hope and joy to thousands of people, through the power of music.

The Fund will support dementia choirs, carers groups and projects in care homes, among others – especially in parts of the country where the needs are greatest. It will support research and help create lasting change in the way that the health system works with community music groups, so many more people with dementia can get support through music.

What has been achieved so far?

The first Power of Music Fund launched earlier this year and provided grants of £1,000 to 100 local dementia choirs and singing groups. This was a vital contribution, but we aim to launch a much larger fund in Autumn this year.

The new fund will also help existing projects scale up, and ensure that the health system is well connected to community organisations, so more people who are diagnosed with dementia can get the support they need.

We are delighted that The Utley Foundation has kickstarted the fund with a £1 million grant.

Who is involved in the fund?

The Fund is being managed by the National Academy for Social Prescribing. We are a charity that champions social prescribing, which involves helping people find non-medical support for their health and wellbeing – for example, through music, art, nature or through getting practical support for complex issues.

Health professionals across the country recognise the value of social prescribing, and we work closely with the NHS to ensure that people who would benefit from social prescribing can get the support they need.

Our previous Thriving Communities Fund supported more than 11,000 people across England, through a wide range of groundbreaking local projects.

We are also working closely with the Power of Music consortium – which includes UK Music, Universal Music, The Utley Foundation and Music for Dementia, Manchester Camerata and Music in Mind Remote.

The Power of Music Fund has grown from the Paul and Nick Harvey Fund in 2021, through which we worked jointly with Music for Dementia and The Utley Foundation, and a donation from the Hunter Foundation, to issue grants to 36 music and dementia projects around the UK.

If you have any questions about the Power of Music Fund, please email powerofmusic@nasp.info