music therapy

Funds from the Henley Festival Trust are supporting a music therapy service for the head injured in Henley. In a groundbreaking three way partnership with Nordoff Robbins and national charity Headway, this scheme is bringing music to attendees at Headway Thames Valley's centre in Henley.

Music therapist Sharon Warnes runs sessions one to one and in small groups for around 26 attendees each week. So successful and impactful on people's lives has this service been that we are committed to extending the provision in the future. All funds raised by donations go to provide more equipment and to take music therapy into the wider community.

Research suggests that in the right setting, music therapy has positive effects both for clients, their families and carers, Head injuries come about through a wide range of causes, including car accidents, accidents at works, violent assaults, sports injuries or accidents in the home. Worryingly, there is a marked increase in the number of brain injuries to young people aged 17 - 25 suffered in car accidents and it is this group that our appeal fund will look to help.

The following are excerpts from an interview with Sharon Warnes - NR Outreach Music Therapist at Headway Thames Valley, Henley

Music therapy is a creative intervention where music is used to address a person's psychological needs, to promote health and well-being, and to provide an alternative means of communication where words are not a pre-requisite. As human beings are inherently musical, and music is part of the 'hard-wiring' of the brain which is rarely affected by illnesses that compromise cognitive skills, music therapy is an effective intervention for most people, of all ages, with myriad needs and conditions. It is a well-established and recognised treatment, which is reflected by the fact that all music therapists must register with the Health Professions Council in order to practise.

Nordoff-Robbins is the largest music therapy charity in the UK, providing over 30,000 sessions each year and bringing the healing potential of music as therapy to children and adults in need. Its Headquarters are in London, with regional units across England which provide a base for a team of music therapists who provide local 'outreach' music therapy services. Currently there are more than 50 such outreach projects operating across the UK. There is a sister charity in Scotland.

Clients at Headway range in age from late 20's up to early 60s who have acquired their brain injury in a variety of ways: through road traffic accidents, illness, meningitis, brain tumours and/or haemorrhage, seizures or epilepsy. I work with 3 individuals on a one-to-one basis, with a group of 7 clients, and run a choir with 15 regular members. Music therapy is a process rather than a one-off activity or entertainment, and the nature of acquired brain injury, where recovery can take months or years, means that treatment is usually long-term, lasting months or years.

The relationship with Henley Festival makes this a unique and extremely interesting music therapy post. No only does Henley Festival provide the funding for music therapy at Headway, but Headway's connection with the Festival Trust means we have access to some of the musicians who perform at the annual festival, who have performed and held workshops at Headway: e.g. Hayley Westenra, Noise Ensemble. Henley Festival also generously provides many of our service users and staff with complementary tickets to the Festival each year.

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Headway attendees enjoying the weekly choir session

Music Therapy uses the power of music to help brain injured people find an improved quality of life.

Through the creative approach to musical improvisation, music therapists are able to help people with a wide range of needs to find new ways to express themselves, develop new relationships and explore their own creativity.

In this ground-breaking partnership, Henley Festival Trust has teamed up with Nordoff Robbins, a national music charity dedicated to transforming the lives of children and adults affected by illness, disability, trauma or isolation. With headquarters in London the charity provides a range of specialist music services around the UK to people of all ages in a range of settings in health, social care, and education sectors. Its practitioners provide music therapy services and a small but growing number of music and health projects to over 70 partner organisations, one of which is ours in Henley. The charity also provides masters level training in music therapy and a PhD programme (validated by City University), and a burgeoning research department.

music therapy Headway is the UK's leading Brain Injury support charity. Providing day centres and rehabilitation for adults of all ages, with brain injuries or damage resulting from RTAs, stroke and other illnesses.

Please give generously to this worthwhile appeal.

Nordoff Robbins Music Therapist, Sharon Warnes , funded by Henley Festival, directs the Headway choir

An afternoon of 'Music and Mingling' at the Kenton Theatre, June 2011. Singers and musicians from Headway join with Henley College students and young musicians from the Henley Festival Orchestra to produce a memorable concert.

Photos: Rod Bird of Electric Landscape