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During September '11... Key Changes was selected as Waitrose charity by the Winchester branch. Many thanks to all our supporters, who helped Key Changes to come out on top! Final amount raised soon to be announced.
Fundraising events in the pipeline: In the past we have benefited from many different kinds of events such as a youth choir concert, jazz evenings, golf days, wine tastings…
If you would like to help our fundraising by either making a donation, or by helping at an event as outlined above, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Reports from fundraising events:
29 walkers aged 14 to...49(!), and 2 dogs, walked the Itchen Navigation route, from Southampton to Winchester on bank holiday Monday 2 May 2011.
The weather was kind to us...the company excellent...the scenery was stunning - increasingly beautiful as we neared Winchester...... the Black Boy pub was very welcome!
A lovely 5 hours was had by all! With gift aid to follow, and including the amount raised by those intrepid few who had joined us for the attempt in Oct. '10, (aborted due to foul weather), the total comes to a very welcome £1229.55!! This amount will be combined with funds pledged by 3 other ogranisations at our new premesis, to provide disabled access and enable clients to receive music therapy in our well-equipped room on site. .
Our grateful to thanks to all who supported this event.
Rhythmn of Life concert, March '11
The Church of the Good Shepherd hosted a well attended, and very successful, fundraising concert on the 5th March, entitled The Rhythm of Life (after the song). The audience were treated to a varied evening of chamber choir music, from Bruckner to Shearing, interspersed with humorous and apt readings by the Alton and Farnham based chamber choir Cantique, under the baton of Chris Gardner. Chris, whose enthusiasm, as one audience member put it, “was infectious”, took over the role of conductor of Cantique in March 2010 after the previous leader and founder of the choir, Bob Warren, retired. The choir remains with its founder’s objective, to put its musical talents to use for fund raising for charities and good causes.
Two short talks on the night with photos and video, illuminated the work of both charities to benefit from the proceedings. Key Changes Music Therapy , an organization that provides music therapy for people in need in Hampshire and neighbouring counties, with music therapists working in a variety of settings such as schools, hospices, prisons, mental health centres, drop-in centres, community settings and homes for the elderly. Bethany Children’s Trust, www.bethanychildrenstrust.org.uk, a charity with which Four Marks Church has had ongoing links for a number of years, working to respond to the needs of children at risk around the world; street children, children affected by armed conflict, disabled children and those living with HIV and Aids. The second half of the concert changed the pace again with songs by Hubert Parry whose words reminded us of a slower rhythm of life, our end of life, moving onto a few English Romantic songs and finally some more modern numbers including an arrangement of a lesser well known Lennon and McCartney song ‘Here, There and Everywhere’ and the distinctly uptempo and well- known ‘Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat’ by Frank Loesser, from the popular Guys and Dolls musical. A good night was had by all and £1180 raised for both charities. Key Changes will receive a cheque for half this.
Veronica Austin Key Changes music therapist
Key Changes were thrilled to receive one third of the proceeds from Diane Byrne’s amazing 100 mile Himalayan run!!
“On Friday 22nd October 2010 I set off to fulfil a long term dream of mine, to participate in the Himalayan 100 mile stage race. I went with an old friend of mine, Jo and we flew to Bagdogra Airport in Darjeeling to begin our adventure. After a day's sightseeing and acclimatization at Mirik, we were driven to the race start at Maneybhanjang, at an altitude of 6,900 feet, on the Monday morning. The first day was a tough 24 mile run ascending to almost 11,000 feet via rough zigzagging tracks up the mountain sides. The second day was a 20 mile out and back run staying at the same altitude, before 'the Big One' - day three and the Everest Challenge Marathon. We had the opportunity to get up and watch the sunrise over Everest on the Tuesday. An awe inspiring sight and well worth the early alarm call. The marathon was a breath-taking run, taking in the same 10 miles as Tuesday's run, before climbing to an amazing viewpoint at over 12,000 feet and then a steep descent through rainforest tracks, in what can only be described as 'extreme cross country running' conditions. The route is the cause of some controversy, as over the past few years many runners have measured it as being close to 32 miles in length, and certainly I feel it was more than the marathon distance. However, the race director will not accept this and so the debate continues. Thursday's run was 13 miles in a steep V shape course. We ran down rough roads and hairpin bends to the bottom of the valley, crossed the river and climbed back up again the other side. The final day of running was a 17 mile route, which began at the point we stopped on Thursday and continued up the mountain for another 8ish miles, before crossing the top and descending to the finish, once again at Maneybhanjang.
I was so delighted to have not only been able to go and take part in one of my "Big Five" world ultra-running events, but to have been able to share it with my fantastic friend Jo and to raise funds for three causes that are so dear to my heart just made it that much more special for me. I have the bug now and aim to complete another of my dream events next year, but whatever else I do, the Himalayan 100 mile Stage Race will always be special to me.”
Diane Byrne, Key Changes Music Therapist
Sponsored walk, October 3rd 2010 The plan was to Walk the Itchen Navigation - 10 miles - from Southampton to Winchester, along one of the UK's most beautiful waterways, getting there by train and ending (conveniently) at a very good pub! As the weather predictions worsened during the previous week, most of those who had expressed an interest in walking turned out to be , quite understandably, fine weatherers.
On 2nd Beccy and Ruth decided to postpone the walk ‘til better weather was likely. They contacted the few who still seemed likely to walk, and were there at the start on 3rd, just incase anyone else turned up. They didn’t expect to meet any more walkers for KC – but then there were 2!
They were so keen to walk…and it wasn’t raining too much…just then…that they decided to set off anyway. The weather soon worsened, rain pouring heavily. The lowest point was when a sluice emptied the canal contents directly onto the path, such that the only way forward was to walk in calf-deep water for several meters! Squelching from then on, and becoming increasingly cold, the intrepid 4 sensibly decided to forego their longed-for arrival at the pub and catch a train from nearby Eastleigh back to Winchester, and to get dry. They rightly felt they had earned their sponsorship, despite the shorter-than-planned distance walked. Ruth’s wonderful ginger cake and hot coffee helped the feet to recover.
Fundraising appeal successes:
Friends of Key Changes
Through our Friends scheme, Key Changes Music Therapy is able to support and develop a wide range of Music Therapy by providing part-sponsorship to begin new work which could not otherwise take place. Your continued support is needed to help provide access to Music Therapy. Demand for music therapy continues to grow in Hampshire and beyond. Donations and support through our Friends’ scheme are invaluable in helping us to expand our work. We have recently expanded our therapy at both ends of the age spectrum, with pre-school children and with older people. We aim to produce three editions of our Friends Bulletin each year, helping to keep you up-to-date with the work of Key Changes Music Therapy, our fundraising events and our popular annual Music Therapy conference. We also include reports on music therapy work in the area. Please consider becoming a Friend of Key Changes.
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People came from as far away as Cambridgeshire and Yorkshire...
The first half of the programme benefited from another less experienced but no less enthusiastic group of singers of young and older adults with additional needs, called High Notes choir from Camberley conducted by Alison Wrigley. A couple of gospel numbers with added choreography and a joyous rendition of The Rhythm of Life by Cy Coleman (1929- 2004) sung by both choirs earned them an encore to close the first half.
Di writes…
Throughout the whole event we were blessed with wonderful weather, almost too hot on occasions, and amazing support from everyone we met. The scenery took my breath away and I had to remind myself I was in a race, as I got my camera out for a quick snapshot over and again. The support team were so slick and dedicated and it was amazing the food they could produce for us at 12,000feet up in the Himalayan mountains. All the entrants - 60 runners and 12 walkers - completed the event and I have made some wonderful new friends from various places in the world in the process.
