Mobberley C of E Primary School has been awarded a grant of almost £3000, by The Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation, to purchase new brass instruments for their school band.
Earlier this year, due to budget constraints, the school decided to change its year-6 band to an ‘all brass’ band.
The problem of how to fund this was solved when chair of the PTA, Mrs Zoe Hargreaves, discovered The Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation which can award grants to schools providing music and/or jazz educational programmes.
Mrs Julie Eadie, the school’s music co-ordinator who supports the Wider Opportunities Programme with brass teacher, Mr Nick Birch, said: “We needed to replace some ageing clarinets with new trumpets, trombones and baritones to fulfil our brass band goal.
When we completed the application form, we did not expect to receive the full amount we asked for, so we are very grateful to the Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation for the award and are already making good use of our purchases.”
The school has been involved in the Wider Opportunities Programme delivered by the Love Music Trust since September 2009.
The grant has purchased 8 ptrumpets, 3 pbones and 4 baritones.
Besides learning to play a brass instrument in year-6, children also learn kazoos, glockenspiels and recorders in school, and drums, guitar and piano from outside providers who come into school.
“It is a well-documented that music is very beneficial for the health and mental wellbeing of individuals, and the school is committed to ensuring music is high on the agenda.” said Mr Damien Stenson the school’s headteacher.
Photographs courtesy of Damien Stenson
