We are super excited to be back at Plug Studios with one extra room for our ever growing music community.  Massive thanks to The Big Lottery and the Brief Community Fund for funding this project.  I have already started running weekly music sessions at our local hospital.  This is the article they have written about us;

Mind the Gap is back with the healing power of music

Mind the Gap is an inclusive music group, based in Norwich, which runs musical sessions for service users at Hellesdon Hospital.

The group, which offers a friendly, safe, non-judgmental environment to socialise, play music, sing and improve skills on guitar, bass, drums, songwriting and performance, has received funding from The Brief Coommunity Fund to run another 30 sessions in The Haven each week.

Sue Tebble, who was inspired to start Mind the Gap by her own experience of mental ill health and subsequent recovery through music, said the sessions had two main benefits: giving members an opportunity to socialise and, by playing an instrument, to focus on something other than their illness.

“My experience of mental ill health is that you can’t shut your mind; playing music forces you to concentrate and takes you away from your worries for a time. It is a kind of mindfulness practice and very therapeutic,” said Sue, who spent time at Hellesdon following a breakdown nearly 30 years ago.

Hellesdon  Summer Fete was a great success, with over 20 musicians playing in 8 different bands. Everyone performed well, and most off all enjoyed themselves.  Our next performance will be Disability Pride on Sunday 16th September.  Details to follow.

We have been entered into Volunteer of the Year, a radio Norfolk competition. Myself, Phil, our volunteer, and Clayton one of our members got to talk about Mind The Gap and how important it is to him.  We on at 1:35 hrs in.  Give it a listen.  We’ve been asked to write a country and western song and Keith will play it.  Thats a great challenge!!

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p067zxpk

 

Apologies for a lack of updates, I lost my mum in November, and everything went very dark.  We’ve been running self funded since February and have over 30 members! We have all been super busy getting ready for our summer performance at Hellesdon Hospital on Sat 14th July.   Come along and support us  we will be playing at one.  A few country numbers as well. yeee haaaawwww!!!

After the success of last years calendar I have produced one more.  We raised £!,500 last year and hope to do the same this year as we are now self funded.

As I suffer from SAD and anxiety, I decided two years ago to start taking sunset photos.  I loved the way it calmed me down and gave me some peace.  I believe we all need to get off our phones and screens and take a look up at the sky, and the beauty of nature around us. Disconnect from the internet and reconnect with nature.  As well as sunset photos from Norfolk each month has a small blog about my mental health and coping strategies that I use throughout the year. The Calendar is £10.00 and available directly from me, via Mind The Gap Facebook page or from Norwich Arts Centre.  We will be selling them at our gig this week 19th October at the Owl Sanctuary Norwich.

We all had a great day at Hellesdon Hospital.  Everyone played well and most importantly enjoyed themselves! We have now stopped for the summer but will be back on Wednesday 6th September.   Viva La Gap!!!

We will all be performing at Hellesdon Summer Fete this Saturday.  Please come down and support us. We start at 2:30 and will have an eclectic mix of folk, rock, hip hop and electronica.

We would like to say a massive thanks to Access to Music level one students for raising £225 for Mind The Gap, and a big thanks for the massive cheque.. a personal goal reached!

One of our members Billy has just released his first EP Luminary.  He had produced and written all the songs himself.  Please listen and share.  Billy has an amazing voice, and his words are deep and reach your heart.  Well Done Bill ! This is fantastic.