New musical workshops will provide struggling Armed Forces veterans and their families in Herefordshire with community, support and confidence thanks to a Veterans’ Foundation grant.
Just over £17,400 has been awarded to Orchestra of the Swan, who will extend their ‘Café Muse’ project at The Courtyard in Hereford, providing a more accessible evening workshop designed to improve veterans’ emotional wellbeing within a group support network.
The monthly workshops are being launched this week (February 15th) and are free to attend for any veterans who want to express their emotions through the co-creation of music pieces or learn and play loaned musical instruments such as the guitar, flute and clarinet.
“As part of our continued commitment to the community in our pioneering ‘Immersive Residency’ at The Courtyard, Hereford, this Veterans’ Foundation grant enables us to further our reach in the Armed Forces community, connecting with veterans and their families in a meaningful way,” said Natasha Green, Development Manager at Orchestra of the Swan.
“The grant means that we can continue our support to those living in isolation and experiencing loneliness”
Orchestra of the Swan was founded in 1997 and are now a leading UK chamber orchestra which performs more than 45 live and digital concerts per year, supported by an extensive outreach programme in the communities at each of its residencies.
Working in conjunction with other charitable organisations such as SSAFA and their mental health teams, local veterans are referred to Orchestra of the Swan to help with conditions such as PTSD, depression and anxiety, among other service-related mental health issues.
"I am so pleased to be a member of this group, as I can meet people and chat with them. It also gets me out of the house and I look forward to our meeting up,” explained one veteran participant in the scheme, referred with PTSD.
“I find it very good for my wellbeing, as I'm in a happy place when I join in."
Orchestra of the Swan’s model of ‘immersive residency’ is in practice at multiple venues across the country including Stratford upon Avon, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Warwick Hall, but this grant will benefit the service community in and around Hereford.
Not only will the evening café address the emotional support needs of local ex-servicemen and women, there will even be a delicious cooked supper included in the modern, vibrant surroundings of The Courtyard.
“We are extremely grateful to the Veterans’ Foundation, the Veterans’ Lottery and its’ players for their generous funding.”
“Music is a powerful connector and without this vital funding from the Foundation we would be unable to continue and develop our music based creative engagement workshops supporting Armed Forces veterans and their families in Herefordshire, achieving positive outcomes.”
“A huge thank you to the Veterans’ Foundation and all those who donate and play the Veterans’ Lottery!”
The grant is one of 50 awarded by the Veterans’ Foundation in the latest round of grants, totalling a huge £1.1 million – the first time the Foundation have given a seven-figure sum in a quarter.
It means that the Veterans’ Foundation have now given over £9.1 million in grants to more than 290 UK-based military charities since inception in 2016.
All of the grants are made possible by generous donors and the players of the Veterans’ Lottery, who not only support our veterans in need, but are also in with a chance to win £35,000 every month.
To play the Veterans’ Lottery and contribute to helping many other brilliant causes just like this, click here.
The grant also coincides with the Veterans’ Foundation’s launch of the #PTSD100 campaign, a century on from the first ever Government report on mental health within the Armed Forces, known then as ‘shell-shock’.
#PTSD100 will run throughout 2022, with a variety of grant commitments, exciting challenges and financial support for research all supporting the cause – improving the lives of British veterans who suffer with Post Traumatic Stress.
Read more about the campaign here: https://www.veteransfoundation.org.uk/stories/news/ptsd100-launch/
To find out more about Orchestra of the Swan and their excellent work, please visit http://www.orchestraoftheswan.org.
