Cloth Cat was established in 1999 to promote the advancement of education and training in the arts, in particular in music. Working with vulnerable adults and young people from disadvantaged areas of Leeds, our service seeks to engage with those who might not otherwise have access to music courses and lessons. Cloth Cat is open to all including those with learning disabilities and mental health problems and seeks to promote social integration and tackle stigma.
Music enables people to express themselves in alternative ways and supports emotional wellbeing. Participants improve self-confidence and team work through social settings with like-minded people and develop new skills which can lead to volunteering, employment or further training.
We are a very small team doing big work and rely on volunteers to help us to do this. We have the Project Coordinator who set up the organisation in 1999, Volunteer Coordinator who joined in May 2019 and the business Development Coordinator who Joined in October 2019, after we were awarded a 3year lottery grant.
We provided music courses for all ages. Some are free others are means tested and some are paid for. We also provide many volunteer opportunities across the organisation from music mentors to back stage support. We also develop and run music gigs throughout the year, hire PA systems, log and sell vinyl and run Free youth music courses for 11-18 year olds. We also have a male suicide prevention project which we have received another 3 years funding and this project runs various groups across Leeds from walking, music, VR and Film/camera club.
