In the works...

Ongoing projects

The Buddy Beat

- is a social inclusion project for mental health service users in Renfrewshire. Workshops take place every Thursday at Paisley Arts Centre, from 10-12. In addition to the regular workshops, group members who wish can take part in performances at local and national events, and community workshops. This year, we piloted a course where group members learned how to assist in leading workshops in wider sections of the community, and hope to follow this up with sustained practical involvement. There's an extremely well-written article here in OT News that looks at the group from the occupational therapy perspective.

We're now entering our 4th year...

Workshops continue at the State Hospital, Carstairs, emphasising the cooperative, social and communicative aspects of working together.

There's a Singing for the Brain choir in the offing, in partnership with NHS Renfrewshire occupational therapy services, and Alzheimer Scotland.

And a community mental health drumming group is in the process of being set up in collaboration with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Occupational Therapy services.

2010 - part 2!

Well, it's August already - here's what's in the pipeline for the rest of the year…

August

2nd - Open public community drum circle, in conjunction with the Buddy Beat, 7-9pm, WRVS cafe, Causeyside Street, Paisley. All welcome.

3rd - Back at the Cranhill Community Project for a morning's drumming

13th - Providing a training session for new musicians at the Polyphony music project, about working with older adults with dementia.

27th-30th - Back at the Greenbelt festival for drumming, singing, and miscellanea with the Wild Goose Resource Group and the Iona Community.

September
9th-10th - Scottish Association of Music Educators Conference 2010

18th - Conference energiser and workshops for the Bipolar Scotland annual conference in Glasgow, with the Buddy Beat.

19th - West meets East event, Rutherglen town hall. An afternoon of workshops for an event for carers hosted by the International Women's group of the Princess Royal Trust Lanarkshire Carers group.

23rd - Conference energiser, workshop, and impromptu delegate performance for the 'Paths for All' national networking event, Perth Concert Hall.

October
5th - 10th - Returning to Dortmund University to present at the 'Europa In-Takt' conference on music and special needs.

11th - 21st - a whole plethora of events for the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film festival programme in Renfrewshire, with the Buddy Beat. More soon!

22nd - 28th Mentoring at the UK Facilitator's Playshop with Arthur Hull. With support from the Creative Scotland YMI Professional Development fund.