Mental health music project receives £10,000 funding boost from National Lottery

A Bognor Regis music festival’s project aimed at improving mental well-being in the area has received a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery.
By The Newsroom
Published 27th Feb 2020, 12:36 BST
Updated 27th Feb 2020, 14:57 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The Southdowns Folk Festival’s Musical Minds project has been awarded the funding through the lottery’s Awards For All funding scheme.

Radio Respect and the Bognor Institute of Laughter have teamed up with the Joe Strummer Foundation for the project which will offer specialist training in the lead up to the festival involving technical skills, logistics, health and safety, event planning plus creative script writing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Chris Collins, from Radio Respect, said: “We are really excited about our involvement with Musical Minds which will begin in April and finish in November this year.

Sarah Fisher, from the Bognor Institute of Laughter, and Chris Collins, from Radio RespectSarah Fisher, from the Bognor Institute of Laughter, and Chris Collins, from Radio Respect
Sarah Fisher, from the Bognor Institute of Laughter, and Chris Collins, from Radio Respect

“As a radio station which has been running for six years, we are acutely aware of the issues surrounding mental well-being and this project will definitely help quite a lot of local people to feel valued and gain in self-confidence.

“We will be aiming to do a lot of outside broadcasts at the September event and will also be applying for a temporary FM community licence so we can reach a far wider audience.”

The training will culminate in a full programme of broadcasts, comedy and music events in and around the project marquee in Place St Maur, next to the Regis Centre, for the duration of the festival from September 17-20.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sarah Fisher, from the Bognor Institute of Laughter, said: “We have been going for over two years and Musical Minds gives us a great opportunity to reach wider audiences and involve local people in what we do, thereby boosting their self-esteem and giving them a real sense of achievement.

“We’ll be initiating a lot of new creative work for the project and want to draw in existing and new people for what we are planning.”

Southdowns Folk Festival chairman Roger Nash said: “We are really grateful to Awards for All in putting their faith in us and we do believe Musical Minds will not only be a big hit but could prove to be a model to build on for similar future projects involving creative arts, music and event management, and we are really looking forward to developing a great partnership to make this and the overall festival a big success.”

The Southdowns Folk Festival takes place from September 17-20.

Visit the Southdowns Folk Festival website for more information about the Musical Minds project.

Related topics:National Lottery