Based in London Borough Waltham Forest, the charity's vision is to reach out and touch the hearts of children and adults of all ages and cultures through delivering spectacular combined arts productions; participatory quality music & story-telling experiences for the elderly (The Smiling Sessions) and to actively engage communities in group activities that enhance confidence and self-esteem through learning or re-visiting new musical skills (Strung Out).
Since 2011, The Smiling Sessions has helped over 4000 isolated older people in London and South East to become happier, healthier, valued, active and confident. This high quality participatory music activity visits care homes in deprived areas, to engage in the vast benefits of community singing.
THE SMILING SESSIONS:
The Smiling Sessions is a high quality participatory music project that brings chronically lonely older people together through song. It was developed in 2010 through a taster at St Christopher's Hospice, and a pilot with Waltham Forest Housing Association, which was nominated as a finalist in the Best Arts Project category of the National Lottery Awards 2011. Since then, this popular activity has brought joy to over 4000 isolated and vulnerable senior adults in care/social housing across deprived areas of London and South-East. In response to COVID-19, we created a free music video App: www.smilingsessions.com YouTube https://bit.ly/3nmuE7D
Delivering on average 72 sessions/year, our 3 experienced world-class musicians/facilitators deliver directly into the communal living rooms of elderly people living in residential homes who may otherwise have no access to group activities due to a range of practical issues including illness, disability, anxiety, fear of rejection or being unable to cope with symptoms that discourage them from social participation. The project encourages residents to socialise, make friends, build stronger relationships with care staff, use their communal lounge more frequently. The sessions are structured, but entirely inclusive and participant focused. A typical session lasts 1.5-2 hours (with tea break). On arrival, The Smiling team hand out large print songbooks, engage participants in singing and clapping, encouraging stories and laughter. They encourage residents to suggest favourite songs which are often from a particular era marking specific times and events in their lives. This gives them a voice which creates a sense of ownership and heightens engagement. Song requests go towards the next session or new songbook. Our 4 songbooks, corresponding CDs and App are powerful tools donated as a legacy. Our musicians also encourage carers and staff, who support the sessions, to facilitate regular singalongs in their absence and beyond the completion of the project.
