Musical Beacons

Action based research into creative music making with families for positive mental health and wellbeing

For project community members:

Musical Beacons is specifically designed to reach families who may have less access than others to creative activities by partnering with housing associations, children’s centres or care settings. Musical Beacons supports family and community connections, enabling leadership skills to flourish in children and encouraging creativity in everyone.

The Musical Beacons programme operates in three sites across the country: London (Waltham Forest), South East (Newhaven & Eastbourne) and Bristol.

As a result of the Covid19 pandemic, the Beacons team have been working hard to embrace new changes, moving to online delivery of the projects and enjoying the challenge to keep the music making in people’s homes.

Locations:

What does Musical Beacons look like?

Sharing of stories and ideas to write songs and compose original new music
Singing and playing musical instruments and games
Performances and sharing at local events

What do community members get?

Communities can make music representative of collective and local identity
Enhanced parent-child interaction
Increased confidence and wellbeing
Improved mental health and positive mindset
Development of creative, musical and communication skills
Raised potential for music-making in the home
Reduced social isolation
Increased community wellbeing and connectedness

MB London

Musical Beacons London is running with Gail and her team in Waltham Forest. We are also working in partnership with Drake Music and the City of London to run event specific projects in 2021.

WITH SUPPORT FROM

Talk to Gail to find out more

Musical Beacons London project manager

Email Gail

MB South East

Musical Beacons South East is being run by Hannah and her team in partnership with East Sussex Young Mother’s Service.

We’re playing and making music with young mothers with lived experience of homelessness and together, using simple, creative ideas, we’ll bring confidence, communication skills and playfulness.

WITH SUPPORT FROM

Talk to Hannah to find out more

Musical Beacons South East project manager

Email Hannah

MB Bristol

The Soundcastle team are very excited to be bringing Musical Beacons to Bristol in August 2021. Watch this space and our social media!

WITH SUPPORT FROM

Talk to Jenni to find out more

Musical Beacons project manager Bristol

Email Jenni

Beacons community member

``We’re all different ages and we’re all at Wellington (local school) and we’re all friends and say hello in the playground”

Mary Olsen,
East End Homes on Musical Beacons, Bow

“Musical Beacons plays an important part to our community and local families.We have been working with Musical Beacons for many years, the staff are very friendly and offer great quality sessions.. The sessions bring together a community, that may never have spoken to each other before, in a fun and creative way. The families continue to return year after year as the parents realise the benefits these sessions have brought, not only to their children but to themselves as they learn to communicate and understand their children better by attending these sessions. Parents have also expressed that the sessions benefit them in other ways too, as they get an opportunity to meet other families and continue to do so outside of the sessions. The children get a great opportunity to learn and play an instrument, which might not of had an opportunity to do. It has most certainly broadened the children’s vision for future music and instruments, one parent had to buy their son a violin as he was keen to learn more The children love it, the fun sounds and the laughter they share with one another as they become good friends and social people. I love the excitement of the children running into our venue and not wanting to leave at the end, what testament can I add to this? Thank you Musical Beacons, your sessions and staff are amazing and so important to our families.”

Music is for everyone. It is a fundamental part of being human. It is the first thing that we respond to when still in the womb, and it is the last thing preserved in our memory.