Stripping off at Chelsea was fun but music school funding is serious

JUST 12 weeks until I attempt to swim the Channel solo.

A total of 2,200 people have completed this challenge since 1926 and 770 were women. The average age of a Channel swimmer is 35.

IT is amazing where Mermaiding takes us, this time stripping off at Chelsea Flower Show and standing ankle-high in a beautiful manmade stream cascading out of lock gates reclaimed from the Grand Union Canal — all in bright red swimming costumes that were too small (we think they shrank in the wash) and championing middle age, sustainability and body confidence. This brilliant idea came from sculptor Dawn Conn, whose garden we were promoting. Dawn and Emma O’Connell, the garden designer, won five stars for their efforts.

If the truth be known, we aren’t all comfortable with our menopausal bodies — my swim training and nutrition has meant I’ve put on more than 14lb, my shoulders and back are a solid mass and pretty much everything is going south.

But really, who cares — we are healthy, alive and privileged to make it to our age.

MERMAIDING aside, my actual job is Henley Music School and this month I am asking for help. I set up the school about 16 years ago, starting simply as an after-school club.

As funding for schools was slashed, the music school grew. When we got to more than 300 children we decided to become a charity, which we did in 2017.

Now we have more than 900 children and 100 adults taking part in our many musical activities.

We offer free loans of an instrument, bursaries of up to 100 per cent and automatic free lessons to pupil premium children, refugees and specialist autism piano lessons.

We are in every school in Henley and heavily subsidise the class lessons to work with the school budgets.

In order to offer this level of music education to everyone we need about £60,000 a year.

Although it was difficult to achieve, I managed it without worry until the coronavirus pandemic. Now it is virtually impossible.

For many years the music school has been looking for its own home.

I run the operation from my kitchen, with instruments in my loft, my dad’s garage and a storage unit.

We teach in homes and schools but we have no headquarters, nowhere to call home.

The Henley Community Hub project is gaining pace but completion is at least three years away.

With our own venue, we can generate revenue by putting on concerts and events and save money on venue hire, storage and travel fees.

But right now we need help. We are desperately low on funds, so much so that we may need to halt all bursaries and subsidies with immediate effect.

The amazing thing about Henley is the community.

Henley Music School is a local charity for our local community, ensuring that music education is available to all, not just the wealthy.

We give children a start in music so that GCSE music can be considered an option.

There are no barriers to learning and loving music, whether you play for fun or are the next Harry Styles or Lang Lang.

Music is proven to be beneficial in so many ways: improving co-ordination, concentration, creativity and memory, building confidence and encouraging teamwork.

These benefits must be available to all, not just the wealthy. It would be a very sad day if this couldn’t continue.

So, if you know or are a music lover, producer, trustee, or just have a little extra, please consider us small, local, community charities that give everyone the opportunity for an all-round education and to become the next generation of fantastic Henley residents.

For more information, email henleymusicschool@gmail.com or visit our website, www.henleymusicschool.co.uk

Charity no: 1178102

Natwest Bank; Account no: 13280112; Sort code: 60-10-35

As always, thanks to Philip Booth Esq, which has sponsored 2023 Mermaiding.