Make Some Noise is delighted to be a part of a strategic three year music making programme for young people most at need across the North West Midlands, which was given a major funding boost recently.

The National Foundation for Youth Music awarded a large grant to Telford and Wrekin Music, the lead partner of the Youth Music North West Midlands Partnership of which Make Some Noise is one of the five partners. Other partners include The Hive, Shrewsbury, three Music Education Hubs as well and schools and local community groups operating across four local authority areas of Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent.

The National Foundation for Youth Music is giving £160,000 this year with further grants of up to £304,560 being made available over the following two years. Youth Music announced that Telford and Wrekin Music is one of 13 organisations around the country that has been selected to become a strategic partner of Youth Music.

Over the next three years, Telford and Wrekin Music will work with Youth Music towards the national charity’s aim of creating a musically inclusive England where every child can access music-making opportunities, regardless of circumstances. Many of the young people Youth Music supports face significant challenges in their lives. Over the next eighteen months, the partnership programme will initiate a series of targeted interventions to support young people through music. It will provide access to a range of musical opportunities for: young people facing issues related to rural isolation, young people who are carers, armed forces families, and young people with additional physical, mental and behavioural needs.

The programme will also include workforce development and a volunteering strand aiming to support and provide training for locally based musicians. This will focus on approaches to working with young people in a variety of challenging circumstances and with additional needs.

Matt Griffiths, Chief Executive Officer, Youth Music said:  “We’re really delighted to be working with Telford and Wrekin Music as one of our strategic partners to deliver an exciting programme of music-making opportunities for children and young people across the North West Midlands. These three-year grants will really help to develop and sustain music-making locally, taking our investment in the region to £776,600 in this funding round.”

Tim Sharp Chief Executive Officer for Make Some Noise added: “Make Some Noise is thrilled that the partnership has been awarded this grant. This funding will empower children and young people through a unified high-quality provision. It is exciting to know that some of the leading organisations in music education are working together to raise the social, educational and musical outcomes of future generations.”