“The Voculeles are a community group which was set up to promote health through the power of music

Description

We began as a small group in 2019 under the stewardship of our talented director Fiona. Throughout the years our membership has blossomed to over 40 eager participants.
We meet every week in the local parish centre.where we practise chat over tea and play and learn new songs.The 1st of every month we perform in the local pub and showcase our efforts to a very appreciative audience .
Our group is very welcoming to new members providing support and encouragement.Having fun is a huge part of our success and we incorporate this into our performances as you will see from our photos we like to dress for the occasion .Our supportive ethos extends well beyond music .During our refreshment breaks we afford the opportunity to engage with each other offering support and sympathy to those that are undergoing particular challenges.
Social participation,social inclusion and respect are the cornerstones of our philosophy

Aim of Initiative

The aim of the group is to harness the health enhancing benefits of music . To foster and grow community support and respect through participation and shared enjoyment of music.Many are new to the instrument and the sense of achievement is powerful when they manage to master it. There is no specific way we expect one to play.It’s free style and this in itself can be a release from one’s troubles.

Who is it aimed at

We like to give those that are either recovering from illness,retired or in danger of suffering from social isolation a sense of belonging while benefiting from the healing powers of music .
We have performed to diverse audiences-festivals, Award Ceremonies
Community events ,Fundraisers Nursing homes, and Conferences.
Our members are those that challenge themselves to keep their mind active by learning this quirky fun instrument

3 Steps critical to success

1. Good leadership .A leader that has a passion and a vision going forward for the group and all the individual members .This is maintained by a positive ethos and setting up of a vibrant keen Committee.
2. Friendship and Respect. This is foremost in the group.Every player sets their own standard and there is no compulsion to achieve a high quality of musicianship. Every member has their own style and input .
3. Clear Goals going forward. We accept everybody’s input and suggestions and look for a way to feature all our members .We respect and are grateful for our .
   Style experts ,
   Musical experts ,
   PA sound experts
   Food experts
   Artistic experts
   Communication experts
   Everybody has a role .

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Setting Up Our Identity.Our name is made up of two words Ukulele and Vocal .these words we cut short and joined them to get our name Voculeles.
   We still have difficulty publicising ourselves.It is a challenge to get to grips with the social media outlets because we have no technical experts on board .
2. Assimilating New Members
   This proves challenging as new members come on board, some with no knowledge of playing the ukulele thus fitting in might seem daunting but we try to assure them that we all started from scratch and that the simplicity of the instrument is no obstacle.We do not divide our group .Everybody is part of one Happy group .
3. As we are a non profit making organisation We had to apply for funding to pay for a suitable venue and also to purchase insurance annually.Another outlet we have had to pay for is sound equipment and books that we compiled ourselves for our members.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. The outcome and benefit of our group is the establishment of a caring community of singers and musicians to banish social isolation.
   Providing a holistic approach to music this in turn benefits those that are suffering from depression ,isolation, brain fog , asthma. And many more ailments
2. Mutual support and encouragement facilitating positive relationships between members . Giving our members a reason to go out and meet people while nurturing a sense of pride in their accomplishments.
3. Flourishing of Hidden Musical Talents . We have all heard throughout the years the cry of the deprived feeling if only they had the opportunity to learn an instrument when they were young . We say why not lnow “Never too old to learn”