Preston based Disability Offers New Performance Based Scheme

Have you ever been in a room full of people with disabilities? If you have you’ll be able to identify what makes them tick and  what helps them to build  confidence in you and the world around them. But what does make them tick? It’s been proven that a piece of uplifting music can really help a group of people with disabilities yet with the current state of the world around us how can this be done in a safe and practical way?

 

Preston based charity Skiggle was founded in 2016 and became a registered charity in 2019. It helps to provide a fantastic service in the community which operates an emergency SOS system and manages an online marketplace where people across the UK can urgently access specialist disability equipment, care consumables, and other products. 

 

Only recently has their been a new concept  around the Skiggle premises. Co-founder and Charity Development Manager Helen Taylor saw the positive impact music and performance has on people with disabilities.

 

This gave her the idea to come up with ‘Sing while You Shield’. This sees a  unique collaboration between Skiggle and trained opera singers to provide vocal performances whilst still maintaining some measure of social distance. 

 

Out of work, Helen is a carer for  17 year old  Will who is seriously disabled and needs constant care. Will was born with a brain injury and has been shielding with his mum and a series of carers for the past six months or so. 

 

Helen managed to get family members involved with her fantastic initiative. So she roped in cousin Aidan, and his fiancée Juliet who both happen to be trained in vocal professionalism.  

 

Juliet was soon invited to perform a special piano-accompanied version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah for Will which served as  an excellent start to a great fundraiser.

 

Helen expressed her joy about getting the couple involved, 

 

“It really is a beautiful idea to offer this to children and others who have been isolated for months, and we’re over the moon that Juliet and Aidan have agreed to support Skiggle by performing them for us.”

 

Not only is Helen reaching out to family members but she has also successfully engaged with specialist singers to create a songbook which features everything from classical tunes to Disney favourites and current chart hits.

 

Regardless of whether you have a disability or not you cannot help but be moved when you hear an uplifting  piece of music. 

 

Helen reminds us about the importance of her idea, 

 

“With the arts and entertainment industry really struggling at the moment, we felt this was a great way to shine a positive light on the industry whilst at the same time, giving something back to people in isolation. We really hope people will engage with this fundraiser and help benefit those who need it most.”

 

Preston disability charity Skiggle has partnered with trained opera singers to offer personalised ‘sing while you shield’ performances in return for a small donation to the charity. 

 

^Alex Ashworth CCG Art Blogger