In July, we were delighted to be invited to the summer garden party for children at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The day was filled with sunshine, live music, and fun activities for the children and their families.
The event was organised by the dedicated team from the hospital’s school room, which supports young patients’ education during their treatment on the Safari children’s ward. Their work plays a pivotal role in helping children continue their learning and re integrate back into their home schools after they’ve been discharged. The team supports children with a wide range of medical conditions, including injuries and life-limiting illnesses.
Event organiser and Teaching Assistant, Carly Fordham, explains:
“We’ve built up such a nice relationship with Music in Hospitals & Care and we’re so thankful. We have a lot of young children at the moment with complex needs, so it’s just nice that they can have something a bit different than just sitting in bed all day.
“In the environment that we are in, it can be very scary for young children. All the procedures that they’re going through. The doctors, the nurses, it can be really difficult. So we like to engage with them, support their wellbeing and offer a bit of escapism. Something like live music, everybody needs. It’s nice for the children, it brings so much joy to them, you can see a lot of reactions on their faces.”
Our talented musician Steve Barbé brought the music to life with nursery rhymes, classic favourites and upbeat summer songs. He was also joined by musicians from the charity Spread a Smile, and together they filled the space with beautiful harmonies. Steve explains:
“I love this work partly because I like a variety of music and tend to play slightly different music for each audience. I find anything lively tends to work for children. Today we went into space, we went underwater, and we sang about birds and butterflies.”
Events like this provide a wonderful opportunity to witness first-hand the valuable role that live music plays in supporting children’s wellbeing and offering comfort and connection for families during what is often a difficult time in hospital.
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.
An unforgettable evening of wine, music and song
Join us on Thursday 24 September at the historic St James Garlickhythe Church in central London for a very special evening of live music. Guests will enjoy wine and canapés from 6:30pm, with music starting at 7:30pm until around 9:20pm.