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Tags:Continuing a tradition first reported by The Evening Press back in 1989, York marketing communications firm The Partners Group has made its seventeenth annual Christmas charity donation, this year to the Malton-based North Yorkshire Music Therapy Centre.

Angela Harrison runs the centre with her colleague, Elaine Wallace. Both are trained music therapists, and travel around North Yorkshire to special schools, day centres, hospitals and houses to provide weekly music therapy sessions for people with a range of mental and physical conditions.

“It’s a very practical form of therapy,” says Angela. “We work with people of all ages with physical, mental or learning difficulties, who find it difficult to take control of their situation or communicate with others.

“We encourage them to explore the instruments in whatever way they feel comfortable, and find that the music enables them to experience interaction. It also builds their confidence and allows them to express themselves.

“It’s a very positive experience; particularly in terms of building confidence. Parents and carers often tell us that in the sessions they see a side to their children or members of their family that they have never seen before - being playful, laughing and giggling - and that is incredibly moving.”

The centre developed from a private practice established in 1987, and currently provides therapy for more than 70 people across North Yorkshire. “We have a number of people waiting for therapy,” says Angela. “Donations such as this one really do make a huge difference to people’s lives, and we’re extremely grateful to The Partners Group for their support.”

For more information, or to make a donation, visit www.music-therapy.org.uk or contact Angela on 01653 698129.

- ENDS -

Editor’s note:

In 1989, The Partners Group decided to use the money that it would have spent on gifts for clients, double it, and donate it to people to whom it would make a real difference.

An overwhelming response from clients to this first donation more than 15 years ago led to it becoming an annual Partners Group tradition, and Action Aid used it as a case study to inspire other corporate givers.

Each year we invite staff to nominate potential recipients and, since 1989, we have supported a range of charitable causes on behalf of our clients, suppliers and associates:

1989 - Deep bore well, Bhola Island, Bangladesh
1990 - Tapped water system, Nepal
1991 - Children in Care, Christmas party, South Leeds
1992 - Emergency aid to Somalia
1993 - The Candlelighters children’s charity
1994 - Braille Christmas letters to children, R.N.I.B.
1995 - VSO volunteer for a year in Indonesia
1996 - Lidgett Grove Special School and food parcels to the homeless in York
1997 - York Against Cancer Haven Appeal and gifts and a party for children at York Women’s Aid Refuge
1998 - VSO volunteer teacher for a year in Pakistan
1999 - The Candlelighters Trust
2000 - Woodland Respite Care Centre
2001 - Kikambala Primary School, Mombasa, Kenya and Community Centre, Pune, India
2002 - York Nightstop. Charity for homeless young people
2003 - Urological Reconstruction Fund and Aid for Romanian Children Charitable Trust
2004 - The Cookridge Cancer Care Centre and Caroline’s Rainbow Foundation
2005 - The North Yorkshire Music Therapy Centre, Malton

For further press information please contact

Karen Tinkler
The Partners Group
105 The Mount
York YO24 1GY

T: (01904) 610077
F: (01904 641646)
E: karen@partners-group.co.uk

This entry was posted on Friday, December 16th, 2005 at 9:33 am and is filed under Partners Group. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.