Sound of music from Stratford asylum seeker band boosts morale
FROM never having picked up an instrument before to playing a live gig proved to be the perfect confidence boost for a group of young Stratford refugees who have achieved their goals through the sound of music.
Clare Thomas and her family from Bearley have been helping people from vulnerable backgrounds with their Spark Youth Music Project since the start of the year which has seen the youngsters meet on a weekly basis and learn to play instruments which have been kindly donated by the public. After many rehearsals - to fine tune their musical talent - the group recently performed live at The Box at Fargo Village in Coventry.
Clare told the Herald: “Our Spark 2023 band programme came to a fabulous end with seven bands performing at the gig. It was the perfect conclusion to what has been an incredibly positive few months working with over 40 young people from across Warwickshire most of whom came to us from vulnerable backgrounds. Eighty per cent of them had never picked up an instrument before January which makes their achievements on the stage even more remarkable. Not only have these young people made a fantastic start on their musical journey but more importantly they have overcome many barriers to their confidence and self-esteem and we are so very proud of all of them.”
The final gig was the last activity for the bands after an action-packed programme which saw the bands learning cover songs, writing their own songs and recording them in a studio, designing their band t shirts and taking part in photographic and video shoots. They also designed gig posters, visited the RSC to watch a sound check and watched Ultimate Coldplay a professional tribute band.
“I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone for supporting our bands this year whether that be through providing funding or giving time to support the activities which have made this programme the most comprehensive and rewarding so far. This thank you is also on behalf of the families of all the young people who took part as the positive impact on the wellbeing of their children is far reaching amongst their families too. We hope we will be able to work with all of you again in the near future and continue making a positive difference to the lives of young people in Warwickshire,” Clare said.
