This year we are combining our Annual and Impact Reports into a single document, offering an overview of the work that Chiltern Music Therapy has carried out over the last financial year.
At its heart, Chiltern is about the people we work with - the clients, families, and professionals we support throughout England We are fortunate to have a passionate and dedicated team, and we are eager to share our work with others
Our core values—Care, Listen, Deepen, Dare, and Share—ensure that everyone we interact with matters to us. They are not just recipients of our services but potential agents of change, partners, collaborators, and advocates of our profession We continue to push boundaries, daring to be different while passionately sharing our knowledge, experience, and stories.
We hope that you enjoy reading about Chiltern and the impact of our work, and we always welcome any opportunity to discuss it further with you
Year in Numbers
Total Hours of Service: 18,616
Regions Covered
Reasons for Referral
Communication and social skills
Social, emotional, and mental health
Relationships and engagement
Love of music
Self expression
Cognition and development
Sensory and processing needs
Motor skills
Our Organisation Strategy
At Chiltern Music Therapy we strive for a caring world where music therapy is the transformative thread in everyday life Together we harness the power of music, inspire through human story and fascinate through science to light up a network of champions
Our strategy is focused on four key areas:
Sustainability Growth
Staff retention How we work
As a self-managed and employee owned company we operate within a circle structure, each ‘circle’ representing a different department responsible for a specific area of the organisation
Life Circle
The Life Circle is committed to supporting employee wellbeing through their organisational culture and core values, which drives daily processes and actions
This ensures that Chiltern can provide the highest quality of care for our service users
Advance Circle
The Advance Circle aims to secure Chiltern's future through sustainable and innovative development.
Delivery Circle
The Delivery Circle provides and delivers effective processes and systems that support the creation and development of Chiltern services. It exists to reinforce the work of our practitioners, while successfully representing Chiltern’s core values.
Inclusion
Systemic Changes for
Sustainability
This year we have focused on making systemic changes t manage decision making, risk and opportunities
New Policies Created Other
Focus Area: Decision Making and Governance
Third Party Risk
Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA),
Stakeholder
Engagement
Future Inclusion Initiatives
Improve access, quality and team diversity
More collaborative projects
Decision making tools developed
Service User involvement in our recruitment process
Launch a Children and Young People User Group to include wider demographics
“Good Service User involvement is hard to create. It takes time and sustained willingness to achieve- and most importantly its not something that is done, and then moved on from. It is something ongoing, a regular spot on the agenda and an integral part of the way community organisations work.”
Chiltern Insights Group Member
Chiltern Insights Group
Contributions and Impact
The Chiltern Insights Group has continued to meet and advise on decisions regarding the work of the organisation. Below are three examples of projects that have been brought to the Insights Group between 2023-2024 for members to review and provide feedback. The bullet points are evidence of the changes made as a result of consulting the group These necessary adaptions have ultimately made a positive impact on Chiltern, improving our inclusivity and credibility as an organisation:
"We all have different experiences which works well… I come at it from one angle but different angles create far wider perspective which is incredibly valuable."
Chiltern Insights Group Member
Environmental Report
The world continues to experience a climate and health emergency, with climate change described in ‘The Lancet’ as “the greatest threat to global health of the 21st century.”
At Chiltern Music Therapy, we have made a commitment to reducing our impact on the environment and to act in an environmentally sustainable manner (Environmental Policy and Action Plan, September 2021)
This report outlines the results of our second full year of carbon emissions data (April 2023 – March 2024), which will be compared to the baseline figures published this time last year. N.B. Last year’s total amount has been updated from 38.98 to 39.14 tCO2e due to an error in the unit of public transport data
Overall Performance
Total tCO2e
32.29
As shown above, our carbon footprint has decreased from 39.14 to 32.29 tCO2e between 2022/23 and 2023/24, a decrease of 17 5% This change has mainly come from a reduction in staff petrol car emissions, no flights taken, and no longer having a permanent office
N.B. tCO2e = the total amount of all greenhouse gases emitted, measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
Staff Travel
Our main area of impact continues to be staff travel, with staff-owned vehicle emissions amounting to 98 6% of our total carbon footprint, and a further 1.2% coming from the use of public transport
However, comparing 2023/24 figures to the previous year, overall staff travel related emissions have dropped from 38 39 to 32 23 tCO2e, a reduction of 16%. This is due to staff travel reducing by nearly 11,000 miles, which has contributed to a reduction in average mileage per session of 5%.
Alongside this, one member of the Chiltern team rode 1080 miles on her bicycle last year, saving almost 2000 miles of driving!
Further Energy Efficiency Actions
The following actions have also been implemented over the past 12 months:
We chose to give up our small office space in Chesham and began to use ad-hoc spaces for necessary in-person meetings Office related emissions from last year only contributed 1.2% of our carbon footprint, so this has been a relatively small but still significant change.
We changed the way we reimburse our staff for using public transport, making it more cost effective for them to do so.
We introduced a new ‘sustainability clause’ in our service agreements which encourages our clients and settings to be more environmentally responsible We also offer support and guidance to help them make positive changes.
We have increased the visibility of our online session offer by highlighting this option in new contracts Our service users and Chiltern Insights Group continue to prefer face-to-face sessions however, and we are committed to providing this service if that is the case.
All new staff now watch a short video outlining our Environment & Sustainability policies and ethos as part of their induction.
Although not directly related to Chiltern Music Therapy’s carbon footprint, we have begun to share our reports, policies and learnings with other music therapy organisations, in order to help them begin to minimise their environmental impact
*Check out the full 2023-2024 Sustainability Report here
Fundraising
Fundraising is vital to Chiltern, enabling us to provide music therapy and community music support to those who might otherwise miss out Our fundraising efforts have included community events, online campaigns, and corporate sponsorships, which not only raised funds but also increased awareness We are grateful for the trust placed in us and remain dedicated to securing sustainable funding for our mission of enhancing lives through music therapy
Despite intense competition, from April 2023 to March 2024 we secured grants from:
Rothschild Foundation
Buckinghamshire County Council Community Prevention Fund
Children In Need
Music for All
Quartet Community Foundation
Parkinson’s UK, Bath District
Mobbs Memorial Trust
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
The Clare Foundation - Angel’s Den
In March 2023, Chiltern was honoured to be chosen as Charity of the Year by Waddesdon Manor Alongside a one-off grant, the Waddesdon team fundraised with us throughout the year, raising our profile and increasing awareness of music therapy. We are truly grateful for their invaluable support
Conversations and support from individuals and organisations have continued to flourish during this period We strengthened our partnership with Yamaha, sharing music’s power with their global audiences through articles and podcasts. We also collaborated with Dolby UK on innovative projects, exploring the use of Dolby Atmos in our music-listening approaches with some of our clients. Additionally, we were pleased to offer workplace music therapy sessions to their hardworking London team
We are incredibly grateful for the generous contributions from our individual donors, as well as the wonderful support from local choirs, bands, and orchestras Their passion for music and commitment to our cause has played a vital role in sustaining our work While it is difficult to name everyone, we would like to especially acknowledge the following groups for their invaluable support in 2023/2024:
Choir on the Green, Chess Valley Male Voice Choir, Kingshill Clarinet Choir, Badgers Club, Grenville Jones and the Good Afternoon Choir in Bath, Bath Boules, Waddesdon Manor, The Audley Foundation, South Bucks Choral Society, Ashby de la Zouch Rotary, The Chalfont Concert Wind Band, The Rotary Club of Chesham, Prestwood Area Community Transport, The Wing Singers and the Douglas McMinn Centre.
Areas of Care and Their Impact
Acute Care
The goal of our acute care programme is to provide immediate support to clients during critical times of need, typically within hospital settings.
Service Spotlight: Imperial College London NHS Trust
Music Therapy Service
In 2023, we delivered music therapy across Acute Paediatrics and Neonatal Care at St Mary’s Hospital and at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital under Imperial College London NHS Trust
A collaborative music therapy service was delivered to support the well-being of patients (working towards individual patient needs and goals) as well as the families and staff. Sessions were run both independently and in collaboration with other Allied Health Professionals to support the needs and aims of the patient. Focus on collaborative working was crucial to continue building awareness about the music therapy service, increasing understanding of referral criteria for sessions, and providing key feedback to specialist teams regarding patient engagement and development.
The Music Therapist carried out a sound audit on the NICU wards to support the wider team to improve awareness of the ward sound levels and the potential impact on premature infants
Patients seen: 105
Sessions delivered: 254
Case Study: Lucy*
*The names of mentioned participants have been changed to ensure anonymity
Lucy*, is a 3-year-old girl who was involved in a serious road traffic accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury as well as other critical injuries. The Music Therapist first met Lucy and her mother from a referral from a Doctor to support Lucy’s gradual emergence from an unconscious state and to support her rehabilitation with the therapies team
Initial sessions offered a range of musical and tactile stimulus with voice, vibrotactile drums and guitar, observing and responding musically to any noticeable responses from Lucy. The Music Therapist offered weekly joint sessions with another therapist (Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist) to collaborate on the early rehabilitation goals, and one weekly individual session to allow a less structured space for Lucy to engage in social, emotional and communication goals
As Lucy’s physical and communication ability gradually improved, her character and amazing personality shone through and music became a well loved space for her to lead and be free. Drumming, shaking, singing and in particular the wind chimes, supported her to explore her energy and determination to gain strength and return to all the things she loved to do.
Development and Rehabilitative Care
Our Development and Rehabilitative programme of care focuses on supporting people to maximise their potential, or to support a client’s rehabilitation and recovery after experiencing trauma or injury. This typically involves short to medium term support
A wide range of work falls within this care programme including our services within schools, neurorehabilitation units, and our community music therapy clinic in Chesham
This year we extended our successful Neurologic Music Therapy ® (NMT) pilots at the Regional Neurological Rehabilitation Unit, Homerton Hospital (London), and the Intermediate Neurological Rehabilitation Unit, Trafford Hospital (Manchester) We also launched a new 3-month NMT pilot in the Neurological Rehabilitation Unit at the Salford Royal Hospital
Service Spotlight: Moor Green Outpatient Brain Injury Neurologic Music Therapy Service
Chiltern Music Therapy was delighted to run a pilot project at the Moor Green Outpatient Brain Injury Unit at Moseley Hall Hospital, starting in August 2023. The pilot was charitably funded by the trust and ran 1 day a week across three 10-week treatment cycles, with the last one finishing in June 2024.
Referrals for this service were made by MDT-assigned keyworkers of patients. Reasons for referral included:
The aims of this project were:
To improve outcomes for patients at discharge
To improve engagement in rehabilitation for hard-to-reach patients due to emotional distress, cognitive impairment or communication difficulties.
To evidence the benefits of Neurologic Music Therapy to staff, patients and families in the context of UK hospital care.
To identify strategies for integration into other therapy sessions or Home Programmes beyond discharge.
How Neurologic Music Therapy at RNRU supported Barry’s* confidence and mood
*The names of mentioned participant have been changed to ensure anonymity
Following a stroke, Barry was left with weakness on his right side, and global aphasia, which impacted his movement and speech. A Greek musician with strong ties to his community, his impairments left Barry feeling a profound sense of loss, as he could no longer participate in many of the activities he had previously loved With this in mind, Barry was referred to receive Neurologic Music Therapy, with the hope of elevating his mood
Accessibility in reconnecting Barry with his cultural and musical identity felt incredibly important to best support his sense of self and his transition into a new phase of life. This was seen in his NMT sessions, which involved listening to familiar music and engaging in improvisations on virtual string instruments with his nondominant hand
To begin with, Barry’s sessions were emotional, and many times, extremely tearful Even so, he always confirmed that he wanted to continue, and was sensitively supported in the way he needed. Over time, Barry has become more confident in exploring new ways to celebrate his love of music, and his mood has consistently improved after each session.
Our Work in Schools
Our Music Therapists work in schools across mainstream and sp education in the South East, South West, East Anglia and the M services are funded through various sources, including the gene budget, Pupil Premium, Educational Health Care Plans, fundraisi additional SEN top-up funding
Service Spotlight: Mental Health Support in
One of our Music Therapists, Sabina, has been providing music therapy sessions one day per week in a mainstream school in the Midlands. The majority of students referred for Music Therapy were referred for a combination of emotional, behaviour and communication aims
An example of the star completed by Sabina and a student is shown below. The Purple reading was collected in September 2023 and the green in March 2024 This shows an improvement in all areas.
Szymon’s
Story
“I’m definitely a lot calmer than before. I can express my feelings through music...[Music Therapy] is fun, amazing, you can talk to someone in a private room one on one. Some people who need help with their mental health should receive the help from others.”
Watch Szymon’s video here.
Chiltern Music Therapy Chesham Hub
with special thanks to the Rothschild Foundation
With the support of Buckinghamshire County Council and more recently, the Rothschild Foundation, Chiltern has been able to establish a weekly music therapy clinical hub at the White Hill Centre in Chesham We provide regular Music Therapy sessions for a range of clients of all ages, in groups or as individuals. This allows our Music Therapist to be based in one place, avoiding the need to drive between clients which not only supports the therapist’s wellbeing and environmental sustainability but also enables them to support more clients across the day
The hub provides music therapy for some participants who have quite complex medical and physical needs as well high sensory needs In order to offer full access to music making and effective engagement in therapy, a range of adaptive instruments are used. This means that we can stay true to our promise of delivering a service that caters for a range of difficulties and complex needs where the individual needs are met.
Continuing Care
The Continuing Care programme offers support to help people maintain their therapy goals over the medium and long term.
A broad range of services and projects fall within this care programme including our Sing to Beat Parkinson’s Group
Sing to Beat Parkinson’s
Sing to Beat Parkinson's is a community music therapy group that meets weekly just outside of Bath. The group has 10–13 members attending each week, along with their carers or family members. Each session starts with an informal chat over tea, allowing participants to share stories, build connections, and create a sense of community in what can often feel like an isolating experience.
In the hour-long music session, the participants warm up together with Rose, the Neurologic Music Therapist leading the group This includes stretching, practising breathing and vocal warm up exercises, and incorporating gentle movement into our singing group Alongside singing songs altogether, the group does partner exercises with percussion instruments, and plays musical games like rounds and tongue twisters Everyone in the group likes to contribute suggestions and bring different ideas for how coordination and cognitive skills can be improved, sometimes using exercises from physiotherapists and other groups they attend as inspiration.
“Bob is more cheerful and alert, and looks forward to meeting up with everyone, and although not essential for me to stay, I enjoy being involved and having the company of folk in the same or similar situation as us. The group has grown and grown and I think we have all become friends.”
Anne, wife of Bob, Participants in Sing to Beat Parkinson’s
Bob’s full story can be found here
Our Sing to Beat Parkinson’s Group is, or has recently been, kindly supported by Parkinson’s UK Bath branch, the Quartet Foundation, Music for All, Bath Boules, Grenville Jones and the Good Afternoon Choir.
Service Spotlight: Dementia Support in Care Homes
Chiltern Music Therapy provides services in both private and NHS Care home facilities.
Farnham Mill and Hill House Nursing and Dementia Homes
Farnham Mill and Hill House Nursing and Dementia Homes, privately owned care homes on the Surrey-Hampshire borders, have been receiving weekly Music Therapy service from Chiltern Music Therapy since June 2023
Residents have engaged in either individual or group Music Therapy sessions. Some residents have participated in a single one-off session and others have attended weekly individual or group sessions.
All sessions offer a chance for shared musical play, singing, listening, discussion and reflection. For some residents it has also been an opportunity to be supported to engage in a meaningful activity where they have been unable to leave their room or engage in anything else
Sessions were client-led with the aim to support improved wellbeing of residents through increased engagement and participation, communication, orientation and expression through music, using both improvised and familiar music and sounds.
In order to provide an overview of the changes observed in sessions we have used the validated Music Therapy in Dementia Assessment Scale (MiDAS) outcome measure to observe participation We monitored the participation of four members of each Music Therapy group over six weeks.
The findings of our work can be found in the full report, here
Music Therapy in NHS Dementia Wards
One of our Music Therapists, Emma, has been facilitating a project in four NHS wards – two dementia assessment wards and two inpatient wards Patients in these settings are either being assessed, or are living with dementia with challenging behaviour During this project, Emma has delivered music therapy sessions to inpatients with varying levels of dementia, to promote their emotional wellbeing, increase their motivation, and to reduce any feelings of isolation
Group music therapy includes singing familiar songs and other collaborative activities such as songwriting, drumming, and playing instruments One-to-one sessions focus on singing familiar songs, intensive interaction, and conversations about music and the patient’s life These activities aim to aid communication and interaction with others, to increase neuroplasticity through cognition activities, and to support practical aims such as movement through the use of instruments.
Many of the patients express their enjoyment for the time spent together making music, saying things like “you have made my day” after the sessions Alongside this, nurses and occupational therapists who work to support them in their setting note the positive influence that their music therapy sessions have had, and how integral these sessions have become to the participants In particular, it has been noted how those who are no longer able to speak are able to connect with musical activities, and how valuable it is to offer those people the opportunity to connect in their own way.
While reflecting on her work, Emma mentions how valuable having the two different wards together has been, particularly with the patients who may have been transferred from one to another, as they can gain a sense of continuity through their time spent with her making music.
Preventative Care
As a longer term programme of care, Preventative Care aims to keep people connected in order to reduce isolation and reliance on health and social care It might also be referred to as Anticipatory Care. At Chiltern we run a wide range of community music and music therapy groups for all ages Our Silver Singers Community Groups offer weekly opportunities to socialise and make music together, and our Let’s Sing online groups support younger adults with learning disabilities to come together to connect through music and have fun.
On a sunny afternoon in September, as Waddesdon Manor’s Charity of the Year, we hosted an Inclusive Singing Afternoon in the stunning grounds of Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire, in partnership with Choir on the Green Set against the backdrop of the manor's aviary and mansion house, the afternoon was a celebration of music’s power to unite and inspire The event featured songwriting workshops and performances from our Community Groups ‘Let's Sing’ and ‘Silver Singers’, along with Choir on the Green.
We are immensely grateful to Waddesdon Manor for their support and for providing such a magnificent venue, which truly enhanced the communal and uplifting spirit of the day.
Check out our website for more about this event!
Service Spotlight: Together in Time
Together in Time is a Community Singing Group that meets weekly at the Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, London The group’s purpose is to promote the wellbeing of older adults who may be isolated, have a diagnosis of Dementia, and/or experience other degenerative or mental health conditions. Participants come from local care homes in and around Highbury and Islington, as well as from the local community, for those living independently. Referrals come through word of mouth, online searches, Dementia UK, the Alzheimer’s Society, and Social Prescribing Link workers associated with Islington Council
We offer a blended approach in all our sessions and everyone, whether in person or online, is given equal opportunity to take part in the sessions. We currently have clients from two care homes that join online and from three care homes that attend in person.
The service offers an hour of singing followed by 45 minutes of refreshments and socialisation which is a crucial part of the broader aims of the project, providing a space and activity that targets isolation and loneliness for older adults in the community.
The session volunteers are all trained in Dementia Awareness and bring varied life experiences that enrich the group culture
Aims and Values
Foster Social Connectedness and Empowerment
Reduce feelings of isolation and social anxiety
Encourage togetherness and create spaces where members feel enabled to ask for help
Enhance Communication and Personal Growth
Develop communication skills and interaction.
Promote a greater sense of self and self-esteem.
Encourage Creative Expression
Promote the freedom and benefits of creative expression
Provide consistency and structure to enhance quality of life.
Improve Overall Well-being
Improve mental health and well-being.
Sustain physical well-being and cognitive function
Provide Professional Support in a Safe Environment
Offer an open, trusting environment for reflection and processing feelings
Ensure support is facilitated by registered professional therapists and trained staff. Uphold the understanding of Unconditional Positive Regard in all activities
Thomas’ and Edna’s Story
Thomas, who lives with Alzheimers, was referred to the Together in Time group by his wife Edna, with the hopes of supporting better cognition, improving his language, and enjoyment through singing and music making.
Thomas responds well to structured and physical songs. They target greater parts of his brain to work, meaning he more successfully gets the words in the correct order within songs and can remember them the following week Additionally, he benefits from increased endorphins released during sessions.
Outside of the singing sessions, Thomas has lost the ability and tolerance to read but within the sessions Edna hears a glimpse of her husband before the Dementia diagnosis, which gives her heart she often comments At his sessions, he is often heard reading out aloud the next song title as soon as it is available. Since this revelation, she often reads with him together using a familiar melody or they often will find karaoke versions of the songs sung in the sessions and then use the words from the sessions to sing/read as an exercise.
Coming to the sessions has not only supported Thomas, but has also given Edna a community as well She can now be amongst carers in the same situation, make meaningful friendships through shared experiences and have a space to process her own sense of fear and anxiety as she also grows older Edna finds music relaxing and grounding, and both hearing others sing and participating in group singing have given her “emotional experiences that words cannot describe.” She explains that living with someone with Dementia can be lonely, with little to no conversation or shared interests, and that travel or outings are often limited due to the physical challenges that accompany Dementia
Edna appreciates the regularity of the sessions, and singing the familiar songs that bookend them is often enough to remind Thomas of the positive experiences he has in music therapy, once again highlighting the lasting effects of music on the brain
Disseminative Care
Our disseminative programme of care is dedicated to sh disseminating our work and expertise to benefit others. reach and impact of our music therapy services and bes
Training
From April 2023 to March 2024, we continued to expan offerings, delivering over 40 high-quality sessions Thes Therapists, healthcare professionals, educators, aspiring more. We also provided presentations, talks, and lectur groups, Multidisciplinary Teams, neurorehabilitation uni
Particular highlights included:
‘Spot the Difference: Neurodiversity for Music Teachers’ - a workshop led by Alice Nicholls at the Music Mark North West Conference focusing on autism and ADHD, breaking down myths and stereotypes around the topic and sharing new ideas for inclusive work with ND students
‘Where Music Helps’ - training for support workers dealing with long-term conditions
‘Integrating Neurologic Music Therapy® in the MDT’ - a free training day for case managers, rehab assistants and therapists in the MDT, led by our Neuro services lead Elizabeth Nightingale
Introduction to Music Therapy training for a community dental service. Our ‘Exploring Music Therapy’ webinar for World Music Therapy Week
Chiltern representatives also spoke at the BAMT conference on topics including neurodivergence, environmental sustainability, and systematic service user involvement
Supporting Freelancers
In January 2024 we set up an Outcomes Star™ freelancers account, benefiting freelance Music Therapists Chiltern Music Therapy's licence account allows freelancers access to the Star Online platform and all stars, including the Music Therapy Star, for one year at a reduced cost, supporting impact measurement through outcome measures
NEST Programme
Our second NEST cohort was a notable success, involving both newly and recently qualified Music Therapists. This cohort benefited from peer group supervisions, mentoring, and accredited CPD sessions, fostering a supportive and enriching learning environment. Participants valued the opportunity to connect with peers and gain insights from experienced practitioners
Looking to the Future
At Chiltern, we are looking ahead to 2024-2025 with optimism We are aware of and prepared for the challenges that may present themselves, particularly around the cost of living, and ongoing budget-related pressures for both ourselves and our clients. Nevertheless, we remain focused on the future and have begun several exciting pilot projects that we look forward to sharing with you throughout the year
We continue to develop as an organisation, putting our staff and clients at the heart of what we do by strengthening our Membership Committee and increasing contributions from our client Insight Group.
Planned projects for 24/25 that we are particularly proud of include:
Launching new services and trialling a new Practitioner Support role within the therapy team, generously supported by the Hollyhock Trust
Establishing a new Music Therapy service within the NICU at The Whittington Hospital in North London, thanks to funding from Children In Need
Expanding our Neurologic Music Therapy services.
Collaborating with the Academy for Neurologic Music Therapy to host a three-day clinical practice workshop
Safe in Sound - a weekly music therapy group for people living with dementia, in collaboration with English Sinfonia, made possible through generous funding from The Clare Foundation’s Angel’s Den initiative.
