If you want to contribute specifically towards the 'Glastonbury care home Pipes & Drums event' please contact me direct and I will forward donations. Thank you.

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The hugely positive power of the arts on mental and physical well-being, and social connection is extensively documented and well known.

Please will you help me with the following two initiatives: one offering support to children at West Suffolk Hospital, the other for elderly residents at Glastonbury Court Care Home.

For children:

'Clown Round' works with children and young people experiencing varying degrees of illness. They may be experiencing abuse, life changing injuries, have physical disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health issues, cancer, eating disorders, self-harm or made suicide attempts.

A team of Therapeutic Clowns, known as 'Clown Doctors' work on paediatric wards reaching children at their bedside, high dependency units, or oncology and blood clinics. Working with health professionals these specially trained actors offer child-centred interaction, provide distraction and a positive focus, improving psychological well-being and reducing pain through connection, humour and laughter. The 'Clown Doctors' engage children using music, juggling, magic, storytelling, puppetry and improvisation, positively transforming the medical environment and improving psychological well-being. These interactions reduce the stress and anxiety among children undergoing surgeries or invasive investigation.

In addition to providing their unique support in a hospital or hospice environment they also work with 'Suffolk Refugee Support', helping mental wellbeing and supporting children and families living in hotels in Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich.

The Clown Doctors have worked at Colchester Hospital, Ipswich Hospital, James Paget University Hospital Gorleston, the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital; East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices.

It'd be just great if you could help me get them to West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds for some regular visits to those children on the paediatrics Rainbow Ward.

For the elderly:

Glastonbury Court is a registered care home where our mother was for the last 11 months of her life. It provides personal and nursing care to around 60 residents. Most of whom are older adults with needs associated with physical disability, dementia or long-term conditions.

Please help bring a performance from the Glenmoriston PIpe & Drums Band to the care home especially for residents. It's unforgettable and joyous experience. Mum would have bloody loved it.

Formed in 1979, the Glenmoriston Pipe & Drums Band is based in Bury St Edmunds. They play in East Anglia but have also performed in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Germany. The band’s tartan is Modern Grant after their original sponsor, Iain Grant of Glenmoriston Old Farm Whisky. They are a fabulous spectacle, and make a wonderfully exhilarating sound. A performance at Glastonbury Court will bring huge pleasure to the residents.

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Both these projects create lasting and positive memories. Thank you so very warmly for any donation that you make to help these two special projects actually happen. You're absolutely wonderful!