The week started well this week. I met up with a friend that I haven’t seen in a while. Nick and I have worked together for more than ten years in different roles. Having the chance to catch up and see what each other are doing, hearing of plans and hearing how family members are developing was just great. Nick has worked in research and evaluation in two of Scotland’s top Universities and we are hoping that we can do some work together on the Music for Health and Well-being project.
We have also done groups at St Brides, St Cuthberts, Morningside, Eagle Lodge, Saughton Park and Spartans. The numbers at Saughton Park were amazing. Some of the folks were at Elaine’s funeral and Elaine was representing Forget Me Notes at another funeral of someone who received Music Therapy sessions. We still had fifty-two people in the glass house with more new people sharing a great afternoon. This was our first week at Spartans Football Club, it was great to see that so many people had made the move to Spartans from Ashbrook, and we hope that the new venue will mean new people too. It is a great space, and it is so inspiring to see different community groups using the facilities. While we were there a group of people with additional needs were meeting, a walking football match was being played, and we were singing in the lounge upstairs. It was great when one of the admin staff came through and sang with us for the last ten minutes (of course she gave up her break in order that she could sing with us). Also, at Spartans we met Hannah for the first time. Hannah is our Music Therapy student on placement until next March. What a great start! Hannah joined in so well, sharing in the stories, giving out the song sheets and by the end of the session we had forgotten that this was her first time with us.
On Friday afternoon we met at the Festival Theatre and shared in Together in Song. This was our Christmas session as we can’t use the theatre while the Pantos is on. We sang a song that must go down as an all-time favourite or may be the most naff song ever. “I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas”. If you have never heard it before then you must go to You Tube and have a listen. I must warn you, you will be singing it for the rest of the day, maybe weeks, or until Christmas. We had an amazing Santa to visit us during the session too, he did look familiar if I am honest, but given that he had his reindeer parked on the roof of the theatre I must have been mistaken
This is an important week in the life of Forget Me Notes because on Saturday it’s the big Sing-a-thon. Paul has been soaking his fingers in vinegar getting them ready for twelve hours of piano playing. Some of us have been practicing scales and various other vocal exercises in order that we can match his stamina. The Sing-a-thon is a fundraiser, where we need to raise as much as we can. The money that we raise can be used to plug the holes for those services we offer that need some financial help, but we don’t have full funding for. If you can spare a few pounds that would be amazing. If you are unable to help financially you can still help with the singing, we are going to need all the support we can get. The Zoom details are attached, and you can join us at the Festival Theatre between 2pm and 3pm on Saturday afternoon. Please let me or Paul know if you are coming so we can add you to the list.
Hope you have a great week and see you on Saturday either live or on Zoom!