New Harmonie music group gets £2,000 grant

New Harmonie will be able to continue its work at Mill View, Haywards Heath, using live music as a care intervention in dementia care.

A quintet will visit the Haywards Heath centre using live music for various activities including singing, exercise, music-making, dancing and reminiscing in the period leading up to Christmas.

Geoffrey Richardson, who leads the group, said: “We are delighted to receive another grant from Sussex Community Foundation.

“We have worked in Mill View before. It is a very new facility offering residential, nursing and specialist dementia care in attractive surroundings.

“The 70 patients in this locked facility are no longer able to go out to performing arts events – we take the live arts experience to them. We are truly grateful for the continued support of Sussex Community Foundation and its donors.”

New Harmonie is a charity of wind musicians (flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons and horns).

“Within the group of players there is a large group of thirteen players, two octets, a sextet, quintets, quartets and trios – these meet mainly to extend player experience of small group playing an extensive repertoire.

“Groups also work in special and main stream schools but currently New Harmonie’s focus is using music with dementia patients and in palliative care.”

One carer with her husband in a hospital assessment ward wrote: “The effect of your music is transforming.

“The difference among the residents during your sessions and other times when I visit is huge.

“The atmosphere is much more cheerful and positive. It is lovely to see people smile who don’t usually smile.”

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