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Eve Merton Dreams Trust

We were kindly asked to support Eve’s Trust by Clynton Johnson, who told us about their incredible outreach support work for those enduring the effects of Cancer.

Our family have been personally affected and we were more than happy to join them in Bentley.

I worked with a very focused and creative group of young people who added value due to their mutual respect for each other.

After the adults had finished with the serious business of running the charity, we asked them to get hands on with the group and they didn’t let us down.

You can support Eve’s Trust through https://evestrust.co.uk and don’t forget the DRFC Legends game on 7th May 2022

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Bada-Bada-Bingo

Inspired by cult TV series the Sopranos and our ongoing journey with Dementia, this is the latest offering to help reduce social isolation.

Although much of our work is with the younger population, the personal challenges of recent years have steered us to question how we can help the elderly.

Mum has been an inspiration

After she had a recent fall I have been spending more time with my Mum, exploring different artistic endeavours. Although I felt a bit guilty for not trying it before, I was surprised just how much she was getting from it and how it supported her mental health and cognition.

Bada-Bada-Bingo Is a (hopefully) less competitive mix between Bingo and Name That Tune which we will be trialing with local groups soon.

If there are any local groups to Doncaster which are interested in smashing social isolation then feel free to get in touch.

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Active Fusion Winter Camps

Just a quick word from some of the young people who we have been working with in December

Big thanks to the children at West Road for sharing their positive views

Once again thanks to Lindsy and all the wonderful staff at Active Fusion for their support, also the staff and pupils at Kirk Sandall, Windhill, and West Road for their commitment in supporting not only a boost to the education of their children, but much needed support for local families who have been affected by the pandemic.

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Is Music a Natural Antidote?

Identity, Expression, Confidence, Self-Esteem, Conveying Emotions, Motivation, Empathy, Sociability, Release.

Which of these words is Music to you?

The natural life gift of mothers milk stimulates Oxytocin in the brain. Listening to and participating in music gives a similar pleasure response.

The potential in Music can often be overlooked, or ignored, even by professionals I have spoken to that work with music every day. It is through our research into the neural networks in the brain and findings on the benefits of breastfeeding that show us that both can provide a feel good response which aids development.

At 90 Minute Music we don’t give you something you don’t already have, we just remind you where it is.

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Highfields Boxing Club

A wonderful session last night incorporating a couple of new faces. It was great to have Amanda from Doncaster College Health and Social care in attendance to support our new volunteer Harvey.

We met with Amanda after being introduced through EXPECT Youth. Amanda was interested in working with us after discussing how 90 Minute Music can help people with Health and Development. We interviewed Harvey who has ambitions to become a Paramedic in the future. He proved himself to be engaging and diligent in his work and he will be joining us in the upcoming weeks delivery at Highfields.

It was positive to have engaged with our first volunteer from the viewpoint of delivery. I discussed with Harvey how delivering 90 Minute Music can be fast-paced and utilising digital technology throughout. He recognised that there will be an opportunity to learn transferable skills that will help him when he qualifies as a Paramedic.

The young people who joined us are a credit to their families, they applied themselves to every task and took on new challenges to build on what they had achieved the week before. When I asked the group what they had remembered from the previous week?  they mumbled that they couldn’t remember but when I prompted them with the music there was an outpouring of detailed elements of what they had learnt the previous week which is a more common outcome.

Bobby from EXPECT Youth visited the session and we welcomed him to take part which he did with no hesitation. We briefly discussed Snowball the dancing Cockatoo and the science behind 90 Minute Music and how it is formulated to support young people with their development. It was fantastic to hear from him that he felt 90 Minute Music was a unique experience and he left with a greater understanding of the benefits.

Big Thanks to Liz again for the support, we will be back at Highfields Boxing Club for the next 4 weeks, it is a FREE to attend session so come and join us at 3.45pm on Wednesday afternoon.

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Outwood Academy Adwick

After witnessing some real courage and revealing some genuine talent last week, I was looking forward to getting back to the academy this week. It was to be our last session before the Christmas break.

We began by experimenting with some percussion instruments, it is important to warm up your bongo’s and ensure you are comfortable, the key to playing any instrument.

We decided we would attempt to create a song in an hour, we had to collectively make quick decisions to make this happen. We took inspiration from a poster on the wall of a Volcano.

We began by going through some drum loop samples and agreed that a driving beat would be most appropriate to represent the natural power of the Volcano, we quickly recorded some beat-boxing expertly performed by one of the group. Next we split up into two groups, one of us formulating a song, while the others perfected the beat.

We had some free flowing ideas coming from the limitations we were working in, a microcosm of artistic creation. We ended up adding some Synth sounds to create a Bassline, and other sounds which we had to agree on as a group to appropriately compliment our song.

The group worked well together, we achieved our objective and it was good to see cohesion between pupils who wouldn’t have chosen to work together initially. Thanks again to the pupils and support staff, see you in the new year.