Music in Hospitals & Care musicians Kirsten Easdale & Gregor Lowrey will be visiting the Tigh Na Drochaid Resource Centre in Portree on the Isle of Skye for a week of interactive music sessions culminating in a live performance for the local community.
This new four day programme, which is part of MiHC’s ‘Skye Songs’ project supported by the Co-op Members Scheme, aims to create shared social occasions using the therapeutic benefits of live music and hopes to engage regular visitors to the centre in addition to other members of the community such as older veterans.
The sessions, commencing on Monday 21st October, will involve discussion around participants’ favourite pieces of music in order to select a programme for the performance at the end of the week, whilst exploring how they might like to contribute through playing, singing, percussion and/or movement. The activities aim to reduce social isolation, evoke joyful memories using familiar songs and provide the group with a sense of choice and influence over the programme.
“We try to play something for everyone so that we can hit on those cultural references which speak to certain generations and are important in that they can unlock long forgotten memories, particularly in those with Dementia. When this happens, it is one of the most rewarding parts of being a Music in Hospitals & Care musician.” – Kirsten Easdale, Music in Hospitals & Care musician.
The performance at the end of the week will be attended by participants’ families and friends, the local community and representatives from the Co-op Members Scheme and Age Scotland.
Arts in Care Homes Day: Thanking Bert Smith
This Arts in Care Homes Day, we’re taking the time to thank Moyness Care Home’s Activities Coordinator Bert Smith, who has championed live music for care homes in Dundee for over 30 years. As Bert approaches retirement, he is looking back on his career and years of work with Music in Hospitals & Care.
World Alzheimer’s Month: Lifting spirits in Cumbria
Our musician Andy McKay has been visiting wards and care homes across Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, where we have been able to share 29 hours of live music between September 2025 and May 2026. One of the spaces Andy visited is the Ramsey Unit at Furness General Hospital, an assessment unit for patients with organic illnesses such as dementia.
Read our latest annual report
In 2025/26 we focused on setting the right note for the future. Despite a challenging landscape, we are proud of what we have been able to achieve with your support.