Rhythmix is a music and social welfare charity that creates music-making  opportunities for  people in challenging circumstances. Our programmes include:

Music in Mind: a music programme to enhance life chances and offer tangible help to children and young people living with mental health challenges.

Wishing Well: bringing music-making into the heart of healthcare settings. We  support the wellbeing of children, young people and older people living with dementia through bedside interactions. 

For more information about these programmes please visit  www.rhythmixmusic.org.uk and www.wishingwell.org.uk

Cascade Music provides access to high quality live music in hospital settings, currently in residence once a week at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool. 

Keep up to date with Cascade Music here.

A singing specialist, Phoene Cave was the workshop leader for the randomised controlled trial and qualitative evaluation Singing teaching as a therapy for chronic respiratory disease published in 2010 in BMC Pulmonary Medicine.

She has delivered singing for breathing programmes at Royal Brompton Hospital as part of the charitably funded “Singing for Breathing” programme. She set up a similar group at Nordoff Robbins, called “Inspire” and is “Singing for your Lungs” at the Whittington hospital in North London.

Find out more about Pheone's work at http://www.singing-for.co.uk/

Ruby Swift MA, is passionate about singing and singing for health, having taught music in many forms, led choirs and provided singing lessons and workshops to clients of a diverse age range for many years. 

Ruby delivers workshops and ongoing singing groups across the community, uniting people in song.  Ruby is a Natural Voice Practioner and a trained Singing for the Brain Leader with the Alzheimer’s Society.

Find out more about Ruby's work at http://rubyswift.wix.com/singingcircles

LIME Music for Health have been delivering music across Central Manchester University Hospitals Foundation Trust (CMFT) since 2009.

They have developed a diverse range of projects incorporating delivery, training and research. You can find more about their work on their website.

Ros Hawley specialises in the design and delivery of music programmes in healthcare and for children and young people with complex needs/disabilities. She delivers training to students at The Royal Northern College of Music in working in health and disability settings, and also delivers training to medical students in the use of communication through musical interaction. Co-founder of Rosfishmusic; co-founder of the Songbirds Music Project at The Royal Manchester Children's Hospital; Music for Health Specialist, Lime Music for Health.

Research: currently studying for my PhD in my practice as a musician in hospital, SOAS, London.
Training and consultancy: clients include Live Music Now! Jessie's Fund, CBSO, MATD.

www.rosfishmusic.com

OPUS Music CIC is a leading provider of music in healthcare settings based in the East Midlands. OPUS musicians engage patients, visitors and staff in music-making, creating open spaces for cultural exchange within a clinical environment. Patients benefit from a humanised environment, a distraction and relief from illness and pain, and an enjoyable, musical interaction.

Find out more about their work on their website.

Pulse Arts CIC is a Music In Healthcare organisation based in London. They are professional musicians with a specialism in Music in Heathcare who believe the offer of music to patients, family members and staff can have a positive impact on health and wellbeing.

www.pulsearts.co.uk

Mary Dunsford is a Harpist, based in Cumbria. In 2012 and 2013, Mary undertook specialist training through OPUS Music CIC to become a Musician in Healthcare Practitioner. Mary is proud to now be an Associate Musician with OPUS, and under their continued guidance is running the Harp in Healthcare project. This project sees Mary playing on her small lap harp on the wards of Furness General Hospital in Barrow, providing a window to the outside world and bringing a cultural exchange into an otherwise clinical space. 

Find out more about Mary's work at http://www.marydunsford.am55.co.uk/

Based in Glasgow, Scotland, and founded in 2002 by community music specialist Dr. Jane Bentley, Art Beat has developed an international reputation for delivering unforgettable musical experiences with genuine meaning and depth.

Art Beat connects people through shared music making. No matter what your age, background, or skill level, there is room in the music for everyone.

http://www.art-beat.info/

Air Arts is the in-house arts charity for Derby Teaching Hospitals, and has been delivering music in hospitals since 2007 through weekly live performance in the public areas of the hospitals, drop in visits for patients at bedsides and music workshops in dayrooms. Air Arts works with a team of musicians who specialise in music in healthcare settings to deliver their programme, which is part of a wider arts in health remit for Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Find out more at www.airarts.net

We design our activities to be accessible to everyone and use a range of approaches to meet the needs of the participants; for example by sharing music orally to increase participation for people who do not read music notation, or using technology to allow people with limited mobility to make music.

Music in Hospitals & Care is a national charity. Formed in 1948 it delivers live music across the healthcare sector throughout the UK, from hospitals and care homes to special schools and mental health outreach. We deliver around 5,000 live music sessions each year using our network of professional musicians.

https://mihc.org.uk/

Jessie's Fund works across the UK with children in hospices, special schools, hospitals and other settings, supporting communication, expression and participation through music. A particular interest is sharing skills with staff, with the goal of helping to embed music within an organisation.

To find out more, visit www.jessiesfund.org.uk.

Aaron Meli of Slappingskins has developed a unique African percussion workshop which has worked with PRU units, hospitals, mental health clinics, special schools, nursery, primary and secondary schools all over the UK.

www.slappingskins.co.uk

Matthew Laurie specialises in person-centred music and arts for people living with a severe communication disability arising from autism, dementia, learning disabilities or acute mental health problems. As an independent, Matthew offers projects and training in Musical Interaction, a communication oriented approach based on Intensive interaction and works as consultant to help care settings to improve person centred practice and Intensive Interaction, mentoring and training staff and enabling services to support those at most risk of isolation. As Director of Understanding Arts CIC Matthew is co-developing the approach of Person Centred Arts and deliver work in collaboration with the NHS in acute mental health settings alongside training for artists, care staff and management.

Beat It Percussion CIC's Vision: Everyone should have the chance to beat a drum. Our mission is to provide
multi-sensory music workshops to groups of people including those who are disadvantaged or disabled. Beat It
workshops are highly effective learning environments that offer measurable benefits to participants.

Our current project Drumming Together for Dementia takes hands-on music making to people in the community who are living with dementia and those who care for them.

www.beatitpercussion.co.uk

I am a professional cellist; I have a PhD in Applied Sociology from the University of Stirling - my thesis focused on the effects of live and recorded personalised music on care home residents with dementia who were nearing the end of life and their carers; I am a Certified Music Practitioner (recognised in the the United States); I am currently an Associate Researcher with a focus on evaluating the effects of creative arts on people living with dementia.

As professional musicians and artists, we are passionate about every human being accessing creative, imaginative and artistic education. We work with all sorts of partners to promote excellent artistic experiences across a range of artforms. We believe that music, art, creativity and culture can have an immeasurable impact on us as human beings. Its essential to our lives. For our good health, wellbeing, positive mental/emotional/spiritual health, resilience, ability to communicate and express ourselves, our educational attainment, for our society’s cohesion and safety, and for the economy.

https://www.handonheartarts.com/

We use communal music-making, and particularly Indonesian Gamelan music to support individuals to improve their well-being. Participation also improves co-ordination, motor skills and reduces social isolation.

See www.good-vibrations.org.uk for more information.

Singer, vocal coach, choir leader and facilitator specialising in working with people with mental health issues and people with dementia. Emphasis more on performance and socialising than therapeutic aspects.

Dementia support and research charity

Established in 1987, Independent Arts is a small charity based on the Isle of Wight. Working predominantly with older people, the purpose of our work is to address the main issues faced by our ageing community: health - in particular dementia, social isolation, disability and disadvantage.  We use the arts in our daily work as a tool to improve health, well-being and quality of life.

LIME Music for Health is a team of specially trained musicians who work sensitively at the bedside with children, young people, families and staff, giving everyone a chance to be part of the music. We believe that music is at the heart of life and helps us to communicate creatively through more than just words. Medical Notes: Music at the Heart of Life is an ongoing project bringing live, interactive music onto the wards at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, currently funded by Youth Music and supported by research at the University of Salford. Over the next three years this phase of the project will include; Songbirds, which is a tailor made music programme for children with the most complex healthcare needs; Fledgling Residencies, where more junior members of the team will be supported in developing their own projects on specific wards; Soundscapes, which will focus on areas of high noise and stress, exploring the role that music plays in alleviating anxiety and Wingbeats; an annual 2 day event, designed to celebrate the work of the Music for Health team, and music created by children, parents and staff during the project each year.

A vocal coach and choir leader with 20 years experience. In the last 2 years, he has facilitated workshops for COPD sufferers for Breathe Easy Westminster and Sing For Better Breathing Lambeth and SOuthwark.

Has worked extensively with Live Music Now in hospices, homes for the elderly, etc, and through them led groups singing sessions for the Harrow Community Choir and Choir with No Name (both with members sufferingfrom mental health issues) . He's currently facilitating for Breathe Arts and Health Research, providing live music in hospitals and dialysis centres.

Victoria is a musician and composer - currently based between the UK and South Africa. She is part-way through a masters in composition and health communication at the University of the Witwatersrand focused on delirium in hospital. Her previous project on delirium intensive care was shortlisted for the inaugural Medicine Unboxed Creative Prize in 2014. She released her most recent EP, Closing, with Lost Map Records in January 2016.

Victoria also worked for 15 years as an arts manager in the National Health Service, and has chaired both London Arts in Health Forum and the National Alliance for Arts, Health & Wellbeing. In Johannesburg she is currently managing several arts-in-health projects including a Wellcome International Engagement Grant on diabetes and communication based at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, and live music at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre. She also teaches on the Community Music and Curatorial 4th-year courses at the Wits School of Arts.

he British Association for Music Therapy (BAMT) is the professional body for music therapy in the UK, providing both practitioners and non-practitioners with information, professional support, and training opportunities. It is also a charity committed to promoting and raising awareness of music therapy, and providing information to the general public.

Music therapy is an established psychological clinical intervention, which is delivered by Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered music therapists, to help people of all ages, whose lives have been affected by injury, illness or disability through supporting their psychological, emotional, cognitive, physical, communicative and social needs.

Common Wheel is a Glasgow based charity which supports people with mental illness by providing meaningful activities.  Our music sessions encourage people to get involved in singing, playing and creating music together. We work in care homes, mental health and dementia wards and in the community. Our projects aim to improve mental wellbeing, and support people in learning new skills.

London and various locations in England

We provide music engagement and recovery services in hospitals and the community for young people and adults who are experiencing mental health problems. We aim to deliver outcomes around health and wellbeing through developing creative, technical, social and vocational skills that open pathways to mainstream opportunities in education, volunteering and work experience.

Mark Levin is a music practitioner playing a 29 string Celtic harp and delivers projects for a variety of partner organisations around London and the South East.  Mark has been involved in music in health care for the past decade and loves bringing the joys of music to patients, their families and NHS staff.

You can find out more about current activities at www.harpforhospitals.com

Breathe is a not-for-profit social enterprise and community interest company. Breathe’s mission is to turn fresh ideas and creativity into practical change for the better. What makes us unique is the way we collaborate equally across the three sectors of arts, health and science, working with the very best people in each field. We are delighted to be one of the first companies with its roots in arts-in-health to be recognised by organisations such as NHS England for our work. We want to keep breaking new ground within healthcare not just for the sake of our clients, but also to bring about opportunities for other forward-thinking organisations, and change across the entire healthcare sector.

Lea is a singer, workshop leader & choir director. He is the founding MD of the Mind & Soul Choir, an open access community choir based at the Maudsley Hospital in London that focuses on mental wellbeing through group singing, but with a strong performance aspect.  He leads singing & choir projects in a range of general community and specifically mental health settings, including medium and high secure psychiatric units (such as Rampton Secure Hospital).

Wellspring Music CIC was formed in May 2015 by Nottingham musicians Marc Block and James Tolhurst, having completed Opus Music CIC’s Music in Healthcare apprenticeship. Our aim is to improve the health and wellbeing of people in healthcare settings by providing high-quality interactive music-making. We currently work in three specialist dementia care settings and are developing projects in a range of other areas.

Open Strings Music is a Brighton-based community interest company providing participatory music services for people to connect and create through making music together. The main purpose of our activities is promoting wellbeing by sharing and enabling the transformative experience of group music-making.

We run creative projects and sessions in residential and community settings for and with people with dementia and their carers, adults with learning disabilities, over 50s, and for mental health.

We have recently been commissioned by Brighton & Hove CCG to deliver and develop Sing Healthy Play Happy, our creative music-making projects promoting dementia-friendly communities, between 2016 & 2019.

private practice

I have run two social music groups with high secure psychiatric patients for over four years. We have had great success forming co-productive relationships and having fun. I am a clinical psychologist but other facilitators have been occupational therapists, nurses, project managers, the chief executive and advocates. We are open groups and all staff or patients are welcome each week.

Mark Burns has a background in NHS health education. He eventually realised that perhaps many individuals and communities aren't that interested in health. As a result it is necessary to first engage them from their own interests. This could include topics such as romantic novels, football and crosswords – or pop music. He has a website about using all these approaches in places such as schools, workplaces and the community.

It includes a 300 page guide/discussion paper on using pop music as a health education tool. His approach is based round using lyrics to engage people emotionally and intellectually, backed up later by face to face support. He suggests pop music can be used in a number of different ways including workshops, gigs and even DIY mini-musicals. Issues like mental health and sexual health particularly lend themselves to this approach. However, he also shows how to use pop music with other issues such as smoking, physical activity, healthy eating and even death and dying. He has lectured about his work here and abroad. He has also written for publications such as the Guardian and the journal of the Royal Society of Public Health.

The document itself can be found at http://www.sexanddrugsandrockandhealth.com/Further%20exploring%20using%20story%20and%20musical%20SPOTIFY%203.pdf . (Alternatively go to the pop music page of www.andhealth.org and scroll down until you see 2014.)

Summaries of his ideas can be found at:
http://www.sexanddrugsandrockandhealth.com/Health%20education%20through%20music2.pdf and https://secure.mrsite.co.uk/usersitesv24/76820.mrsite.com/wwwroot/62%20Templates%20for%20pop%20music%20in%20health%20education%20projects2.pdf.

He has also produced a website with links to YouTube songs and lyric websites under headings such as self esteem, assertiveness, resilience and a better world. This can be found at www.inspirationjukebox.com

He would be excited to hear from musicians or health organisations interested in working with him.

Music Therapist working with a wide range of client groups, with a particular focus on trauma and affect regulation.

I use gentle drumming and harp music to energise and also calm service users in healthcare settings.

I am a freelance music specialist working across multiple settings with clients who have dementia, autism, special needs and learning difficulties.

I am a singer, guitarist, pianist and I sometimes play around with ukulele. I've been a professional musician for the last 18 years. I live in Dewsbury West Yorkshire but travel worldwide for work. I am eager to use my skills, knowledge and experience to work with the elderly and disabled. I am particularly interested in working with sufferers of dementia and their families. I am currently looking for volunteer opportunities in my area of Yorkshire.

www.rebeccaroberts.net

I am a Musician in Hospital working for Wishing Well Music for nearly 4 years. I work with children in the Royal Alex in Brighton and train third year medical students in their Self Selecting Module 'The role of the Musician in Hospital'. I also work in dementia settings including delivering training and mentoring new musicians joining our team.

http://wishingwellmusic.org.uk

A district general hospital. I work as a trainee Advanced Nurse Practitioner on the Critical Care Unit and am an amateur viola player. Interested in doing a dissertation next year on music in ICU. Would like to bring music to the hospital and the unit.

Where we work: Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College Hospital Child and Adolescent Wards

We provide Music education as part of our curriculum offer to long-stay patients who are enrolled at the hospital school. Our aim is to provide continuity of education for children and young people during hospital admissions, as well a sense of normality and also opportunities to achieve; the arts form an important part of this. Music lessons are offered 1:1 at the bedside for those who cannot leave their ward and in small groups for those who can attend our hospital school rooms. We also run whole-school cross-curricular Music projects and Music workshops as part of our school holiday programme. We teach students of all ages and abilities from pre-school to post-16. We have two part-time Music teachers and are extremely fortunate to be supported in our work by a range of other professionals and organisations including Singing Hands, Music in Hospitals, CLS and GOSH Arts.

Email: d.valdar@gosh.camden.sch.uk

Website: http://www.gosh.nhs.uk/welcome-childrens-hospital-school

Where we work: Nursing Homes, EMI Units, Hospitals, River Cleddau Day Unit at South Pembs Hospital, and mental health/dementia centres. Old, young, elderly, dementia, adult learning disabilities, disabled.

Facilitating music, singing or drumming activities in health care, care homes & in the Pembrokeshire community.

Email: Contactmusicthatcares@gmail.com

Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/musicthatcares