Band Performing at Music therapy charityDisability

Otakar Kraus Music Trust

Music therapy helps children with additional needs

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £8,000 to The Otakar Kraus Music Trust (OKMT) enables seven pupils to attend OK Music School. Here qualified music therapists teach children and young people with physical, learning, mental or neurological disability or illness.

“We are delighted that the Axis Foundation has approved our application to enable seven pupils with disabilities to attend OK Music School for 36 weeks. This will make a huge difference to our music therapy work and allow more children to enjoy the benefits of learning and performing music. Music therapy helps children with disabilities when nothing else can reach them” – Valerie Roy, Fundraising Manager, OKMT

Whilst at the music therapy school, children interact and make friends, reducing isolation. They gain communication skills and become more confident. Improved listening skills and focus help their learning at school. And performing makes them feel happier, proud of their achievements and part of the community. Some children have passed Royal School of Music exams, and some have performed on national radio.

The children say:

  • ‘It makes me feel good about myself – I can do something well!’
  • “I love music because it gives me confidence and it takes me away from the pressures of real life. I make more friends here than anywhere else”

Parents say:

  • “OK Music School has been amazing helping my daughter to gain confidence and improve her memory and listening skills. She is able to verbalise that she is proud of herself.”
  • “E has blossomed, she had very low self-esteem when we started as she was unable to attend school due to her severe anxieties. It has been a Godsend for her mental health.”

OKMT Survey Results

OKMT asked parents what difference OK Music School was making to their child.  The top survey results were:

  • Increased their confidence and self-esteem 100%
  • Improved their concentration and ability to follow instructions 79%
  • Improved their mental well-being  74%
  • Improved their listening skills 68%

Second donation

The Axis Foundation Trustees additionally agreed a grant of £4,800 towards bursaries for 1-1 music therapy for children and young people  and £120 for a new Yamaha Portable Keyboard. Valerie thanked us saying: “We are delighted to get the funding and we will increase our budget for the coming year for bursaries to £6,000. This will help us reach children, young people and families who receive very little regular help.”

OK Music School Case Study

D is 8 and is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He struggles with interacting with people he doesn’t know and with some motor skills. He lacks concentration and has some language and communication difficulties. Therefore it is hard for him to take part in activities where he could enjoy time and space with his peers. D had received speech and language therapy and some music therapy.

But then his mother heard about OKMT through a London Autism group.

D started attending the OKMT Youth Choir, where he was silent for a few months until he finally joined in and started singing along. Then he joined OK Music school where he began to learn to play the piano. He thrived on the stable routine, and playing piano now provides him respite and happiness. His concentration and motor skills have improved, and he is now confident in a group of children and socially more aware of others. He took part in the Christmas concert in 2019 and played Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the piano which gave him a great sense of achievement. His family were so proud and joyful to watch him playing in the concert in front of a big audience.

D said: “I feel happy and excited to attend my music lessons!”

Read more about this Twickenham-based charity here

 

group of young children reading booksCommunity

Wimbledon Bookfest

Three little children planting lettucesDonations

The Visionaries 

a mother and father with babydisadvantaged

Little Stars

Woman reading to two infants from a bookCare

Hug-a-Bug World (HBW)

Disability

Red Eagle Foundation

Care

Mollie’s story

Care

Youth Talk

Disability

Incredible Kids

Community

Hands of Hope

Donations

UK Reads

Sea Change little children playing on check rugCare

Sea Change Trust

Care

Little Heroes

Keeping kids safe with OK OKCare

OK Our Kids

3 girls from Amateur Boxing Club, Swale Gloves pose in fight stanceDonations

Swale Gloves

Donations

Halas Hawks

Young child having swimming lessons with Level WaterDisability

Level Water

young boy on dry ski slope TAG adaptive snow sportsDisability

TAG

Child in grey Hypo Hounds t-shirt and black dogCare

Hypo Hounds

Little boy in goggles using assistive technology to communicateDisability

 Lifelites

Gift boxes for seriously ill children in hospitalCare

Tyler’s Trust

helping children with autism, child with headphones in front of screenDisability

Time4Autism

Young disadvantaged children sailingCare

The Ahoy Centre

Mum holding baby, CASPA parents of children with autismCare

CASPA

Students sitting at tables studying to become Mental Health AmbassadorsCommunity

Student Life

Axis CEO John Hayes handing over mini bus to Maypole charityDisability

The Maypole Project

Case of opthalmic equipment Fight against BlindnessCare

Fight Against Blindness

Woman and child reading togetherDonations

Literacy Pirates

black pony standing in treesDisability

Barrow Farm

young person holding poster standing astride red bike, 10 year logoCare

Cyclists Fighting Cancer

Axis foundation helps to fund specialist bathroom to young girlCare

Bathroom for Isabella

Care

HOPE

Arden Forest football team players posing in their green and yellow football kit.Donations

Arden Forest FC

A lady feeds a sheep at Stepney City FarmDonations

Stepney City Farm

Two children who attend Kids Care playing on jungle gym.Disability

Kids Care

Child plays with parent at CHAT children's charity.Disability

CHAT

Children show Christmas cards they made with charity Accuro.Community

Accuro

Five Men on summit of Arctic Mountain for Demelza Arctic Challenge FundraiserDemelza

Axis Arctic Challenge

Children play with child theraeutic equipment donated to Blooming Blossoms.Disability

Blooming Blossoms

Youths wearing For Jimmy T-shirts - a charity who safer spaces and communities in South East London.Community

For Jimmy

Child touches interactive wall in sensory room at Mapledown SchoolDonations

Mapledown School

Children enjoy physiotherapy swimming lesson at Waterwings swimming club.Donations

Waterwings

Stepney Scouts and scout leaders kayak down river.Donations

Stepney Scouts

Smiling residents of Bentilee VolunteersCommunity

Bentilee Volunteers

Disabled adults and children enjoy festival experience with help from Festival SpiritDisability

Festival Spirit

Man holding baby at Sparks Medical Research CharityCare

Sparks

Two girls at craft sessions at Newhaven YFCDonations

Newhaven YFC

Disabled pupils of Lonsdale School sit round a fire during camping trip.Disability

Lonsdale School

Child sitting in a mobility chair that has been donated to him.Disability

Vinnie James

Two people playing Table Tennis at Pimlico Foundation youth projectDonations

Pimlico Foundation

Braille at Clearvision for visually impaired childrenDonations

ClearVision Project

Child and teacher on Heltwate School trip to NorfolkDonations

Heltwate School

Wide Horizons logoDonations

Wide Horizons

Children play dress up in Victorian clothes at the Ragged School in London.Donations

Ragged School Museum

Shooting Star nurse on home visits to families caring for a life-limited childCare

Shooting Star Chase

Man teaching life skills to disadvantaged children at Sport 4 LifeDonations

Sport 4 Life

Children playing with carers from the London Centre for Children with Cerebral PalsyDonations

LCCCP

Two silver Bears on a ribbon at Surrey SandsCare

Surrey Sands

Child learning horse riding at the Ebony Horse ClubDonations

Ebony Horse Club

Children with austism and learning disabilities at Tae Kwando club at Woodside SchoolDonations

Woodside School

Volunteers help to build sensory garden for Corbets Tey SchoolDonations

Corbets Tey School