Singing For People With Long Term Illnesses
Inspire Social Enterprise

Inspire is a social enterprise developed by professional musicians, educators and researchers. Inspire grew out of a HEFCE ‘Do It’ award at the University of Manchester. This award aimed to encourage people with long term conditions to become actively involved in singing and music as a way of improving personal resilience, independence and self-care. Work to date has concentrated on people with respiratory disease and aphasia (communication difficulties following strokes etc.) Inspire’s pioneering work has focused on developing singing models that are tailored to the needs and expectations of people with a variety of long term conditions. This work has included establishing a network of singing groups for the North West; fostering independence and building in sustainability for initiatives; evaluating the physical and psychological benefits of singing groups and ultimately understanding the cost effectiveness and social value of this type of social prescribing activity.

Being part of a choir enables members to learn a wide variety of new skills e.g. new songs; rhythm and harmony as well as learning vital breath control. From the outset choir members are taught performance techniques and how to sing in public. The choirs have relished the opportunity of performing to a wide variety of audiences and venues including the Royal College of Music in London and the Lowry Theatre. Choir members have also been invited to speak at a variety of meetings about their condition and the many health benefits of participating in a choir, including a workshop at the 2016 International Festival for Public Health in Manchester.

Nominated by Dr Adam Garrow

Ingenuity Project Award Runner Up

Dadly Does It – Chris Dabbs – Unlimited Potential, Salford and Rochdale