Music Really is Magic at Grove Cottage, thanks to The Boshier Hinton Foundation

Grove Cottage is proud to share the story of how The Boshier Hinton Foundation has helped transform the lives of our members through the power of music.  Their continued generosity has enabled inclusive music tuition for adults with learning disabilities and special additional needs, making a lasting impact in our community.

Thanks to an initial grant of £1,307 in 2021, Grove Cottage launched its Music Man Project – a weekly music club providing accessible musical opportunities to our members.  The Foundation’s support allowed us to purchase inclusive instruments and open the door to musical expression for our members, where the buzz of excitement and the sound of music lifts everyone’s spirits. The Foundation’s Trustees visited the club to see first-hand the joy and confidence their support had inspired.

The impact grew. With a further grant of £2,000, alongside other valued contributions, gave our members the life-changing opportunity to perform at The Royal Albert Hall, sharing the stage with Michael Ball, The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines and other Music Man Project groups from across the UK.  We were once again delighted to welcome the Foundation’s trustees to witness our members perform in such a prestigious venue, using the very instruments their support had helped provide only a couple of years earlier.

Grove Cottage is affiliated with Mencap but receives no funding from the national charity. We rely entirely on community fundraising, individual giving, grants and major donors to continue our vital work. The Boshier Hinton Foundation’s support demonstrates the powerful impact of donations, enabling our members’ musical talents to thrive, creating lifelong memories, boosting confidence and even helping some adults learn to communicate for the first time through Makaton taught in our Music Man sessions.

One of our club’s favourite songs is Music is Magic, the lyrics of which are “Music is magic it opens up your heart, music is magic to me”.  It truly has been magical and heartwarming to see what our club members have achieved over the last four years. Most recently, the Foundation has generously awarded an additional £4,000 to secure the future of our club, enabling us to welcome a new music teacher and ensuring more magical Mondays to come.

The Boshier Hinton Foundation is closing after nearly 60 years of charitable giving, during which it awarded 2,330 grants totalling £5.3 million. Everyone at Grove Cottage is extremely grateful for their generous support, and we celebrate their incredible legacy of making a difference.

If you’d like to find out more about supporting our Music Man Project or getting involved, please contact fundraising@mencapgrovecottage.org.