Members of Sandbach's world-famous Foden's Band have been helping to teach deaf children how to play instruments.

During the last three months, Foden's has run a successful programme to deliver brass lessons to hearing impaired and deaf children in partnership with Sandbach-based Love Music Trust and the Warwick Music Group.

The project, funded by Arts Council England, initially saw four members (who also work for the Love Music Trust) being upskilled by Sean Chandler (a deaf music educator and consultant) during an intensive training weekend.

Twenty-four hearing impaired and deaf children at units within Cheshire East were then given the opportunity to receive ten funded lessons using plastic instruments provided by Warwick - research has proven that hearing impaired and deaf children can feel vibrations better in plastic instruments compared with brass instruments. 

Speaking on behalf of Foden's, project co-ordinator Mark Wilkinson, said: "Due to having limited brass teaching experience for hearing impaired and deaf young people in Cheshire, we wanted to create a legacy to enable children, regardless of disability to access lessons.

(Photo: Foden's Band)

"The completed project will now allow staff to increasing their teaching in this role to the benefit of countless children."

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Love Music Trust (LMT) Director John Barber, said: "The innovation and desire of Foden's Band to inclusively expand and nurture the next generation of young brass players is well known and to be applauded.

"Working in partnership with the LMT, Warwick and supported by Arts Council England, the band has facilitated a wonderful programme allowing hearing impaired young people in Cheshire East to enjoy the world of brass music, taught by tutors previously unskilled in this important area.'

Steven Greenall, Warwick Music Group CEO commented: "We are delighted to have been involved in this inspiring programme with Foden's, Love Music Trust and Arts Council England.

"This project has given children direct engagement with music and experiencing the joy of playing a brass instrument.

"The CPD opportunities will allow educators to reach even more learners in the future, and I'm sure that Cheshire East will continue to be a thriving, inclusive musical community."