Musician Moments: Hedley Kay

Our musicians have been speaking about some of the most significant moments they have experienced whilst sharing Joy Through Live Music with Music in Hospitals & Care.

Singer/guitarist Hedley Kay is one of our longest serving musicians and has been working with us across the UK for over 40 years.

“Some years ago I was performing for a group of young people with special educational needs; a boy of about sixteen was standing nearby, so I asked him if he would like to play my guitar. He was non-verbal, but his body language indicated that he would be happy to give this a try. I gently put the strap over his head, and having showed him how to strum, stood back so he was in full control of the instrument. After a while I removed the guitar by drawing the strap back over his head and the staff were absolutely amazed. Apparently he did not usually like anything over his head, but somehow through the musical experience we were able to share this moment with the instrument.”

Remembrance Day: New live music programme for veterans

Thanks to renewed funding from the Veterans’ Foundation and Royal Naval Benevolent Trust, we’ll be bringing over 40 hours of live music to veterans across Scotland and England, creating more opportunities for ex-service people to connect and share memories through the collective joy of live music.

Trustees Week: Our Chair Maureen Hall looks ahead

Our Chair, Maureen Hall, reflects on her experiences of our live music, our achievements in 2025/26 and what this means for the future of Music in Hospitals & Care as we approach our 80th anniversary in 2028.

Building partnerships for the future

Read about some of the recent ways we’ve been working in partnership with funders, researchers and NHS trusts across the UK to make your support go further.