As with last year, in lieu of sending festive cards or gifts this year, Russell IP is making a charitable donation.
Well, we’re actually making 25 charitable donations!
Unlike a traditional advent calendar where the recipient gets a gift each day from 1 to 25 December, we’ll be making a (small) donation to one of 25 different music charities each day.
As well as some extra funding, we hope we can help raise awareness of the charities in the process.
Music’s such a big part of Russell IP, we’re happy to do our little bit to help.
Russell IP Charity Advent Calendar 2021
Day 1 – Help Musicians
“Help Musicians is an independent UK charity for professional musicians of all genres, from starting out through to retirement“.
Day 2 – Music For All
“We promote the life-changing benefits of music making. We make grants available to address the musical needs of community music groups and educational organisations. We donate instruments and music tuition to individuals who need our help. We bring free of charge ‘Learn to Play’ experiences to people of all ages and backgrounds”.
Day 3 – Nordoff Robbins
“As the UK’s largest music therapy charity, we use music to enrich the lives of people with life-limiting illness, disabilities or feelings of isolation“.
Day 4 – Music Support
“We provide help and support for those in or employed by the UK music industry affected by mental ill-health and/or addiction. We facilitate education and learning via workshops and training to individuals and organisations in the industry so they may be better equipped in the areas of awareness, early intervention and prevention“.
Day 5 – The Spitz
“The Spitz Charitable Trust takes professional musicians in to care homes, day centres and hospitals. We use the power of live music to increase wellbeing while reducing isolation and loneliness“.
Day 6 – Drake Music
“We are innovators, educators, curators and advocates. We believe everyone has the right to express themselves creatively through music. We use new technologies and ideas to open up access to music for all. Our vision is a world where disabled and non-disabled musicians work together as equals“.
Day 7 – Music For Youth
“Music for Youth is a national youth arts charity working to provide young people aged 21 and under across the UK with free, life-changing performance and progression opportunities, regardless of background or musical style. Established in 1970, our mission is simple: we believe that music, and the chance to participate in high-quality musical activities, should be open to every young person“.
Day 8 – Youth Music
“We believe that every young person should have the chance to change their life through music. Yet our research shows that many can’t because of who they are, where they’re from or what they’re going through. Our insights, influence and investment in grassroots organisations and to young people themselves means that more 0–25-year-olds can make, learn and earn in music. Youth Music is a national charity funded thanks to the National Lottery via Arts Council England, players of People’s Postcode Lottery and support from partners, fundraisers and donors“.
Day 9 – Girls Rock London
“Girls Rock London (GRL) is an award-winning charity based in Hackney. We provide high-quality music programming for young and adult women, trans, and non-binary people, with a specific focus on increasing access for people who face barriers to participation“.
Day 10 – Heart N Soul
“Heart n Soul is an award-winning creative arts company and charity. We believe in the power and talents of people with learning disabilities, providing opportunities for people to discover, develop and share this power and talent as widely as possible. We also have a lot of fun“.
Day 11 – Fairbeats
“We are a music charity working with young refugees, asylum seekers, newly arrived migrants and their families. We work with community centres across south London and the families we work with come from all over the world. We bring people together through music-making and other artistic activities in a way that is creative, relaxed, dynamic and fun“.
Day 12 – Music Venue Trust
“Music Venue Trust was created in January 2014 to protect the UK live music network. Its focus is on securing the long term future of the iconic venues which make up the grassroots circuit, venues like Southampton Joiners, Tunbridge Wells Forum, the 100 Club, Exeter Cavern, Hull Adelphi, Manchester Band on the Wall etc. These venues have played a crucial role in the development of British music over the last 40 years, nurturing local talent, providing a platform for artists to build their careers and develop their music and their performance skills“.
Day 13 – Changing Tunes
“Our vision is of a world where people with lived experience of the criminal justice system can experience the life-enhancing benefits of music-making, especially its power to help them lead crime-free lives that are meaningful and creative“.
Day 14 – The Music Therapy Charity
“The Music Therapy Charity was formed in 1969 to promote and support the activities of music therapists; its main funding is to music therapy research and bursaries for music therapists in training. It is the only funding body in the UK specifically supporting high quality research into what treatment outcomes can be expected with a course of music therapy“.
The Music Therapy Charity Website
Day 15 – London Music Fund
“Established in 2011, the London Music Fund is an independent charity with the Mayor of London as Patron. Winner of ‘Outstanding Musical Initiative’ at the 2021 Music & Drama Education Awards, the London Music Fund’s mission is to transform under-served communities by enabling children to access high-quality music education. Our vision is that every child who demonstrates significant musical ability, enthusiasm and commitment to learning an instrument is given the opportunity to develop their potential“.
Day 16 – Making Music
“Making Music is the UK’s membership organisation for leisure-time music, with over 3,600 groups representing around 200,000 music makers across the UK. We are dedicated to empowering everyone, whatever their background or experience, to come together in their community to make or present their kind of music“.
Day 17 – Music In Hospitals & Care
“MiHC cares about people. We also care about live music. We care about reaching people who may have little, if any, access to live music. Through versatile and highly personalised performances we create moments and memories of sheer joy, relaxation, engagement and sometimes, magic. We’re proud to be able to provide so many of them“.
Music In Hospitals & Care Website
Day 18 – Jessie’s Fund
“Jessie’s Fund helps children with additional and complex needs or serious illness to communicate by using music. Music can provide a powerful and profound way in which children can express themselves and connect with the world around them. Jessie’s Fund is a registered charity working all over the UK“.
Day 19 – Trust Music
“We are a Bolton-based charity that believes in music as a power for good in the lives of all children. Through our Studio Sessions and fundraising campaigns, we generate funds to support music education and engagement for young people, particularly for those who are experiencing significant barriers to accessing music opportunities. Please browse through our website and help us to make the power of music a reality for more young people“.
Day 20 – Donne
“Donne is a charitable foundation that is here to make a positive change in the fight against gender inequality within the music industry. Our main goal is to celebrate, advance, and amplify women in music so that they are seen, heard, and appreciated for their talent so they can leave a legacy of inspiration for future generations“.
Day 21 – Music And The Deaf
“Music and the Deaf aims to enrich the lives of those with hearing loss through the experience of music“.
Day 22 – Playlist For Life
“Playlist for Life is a music and dementia charity. The charity was founded in 2013 by writer and broadcaster Sally Magnusson after the death of her mother, Mamie, who had dementia. Our vision is simple: we want everyone with dementia to have a unique, personalised playlist and everyone who loves or cares for them to know how to use it“.
Day 23 – Future Talent
Day 24 – Music For Schools Foundation
“The Music for Schools Foundation is a non-profit making, registered charity. We have been established for 25 years and in that time have provided lessons to over 50,000 pupils in primary schools all across the country“.
Music For Schools Foundation Website
Day 25 – Tonic Music
“Tonic Music for Mental Health is a charity based on the south coast of England. We raise mental health awareness, challenge stigma and promote mental wellbeing through music and the arts. We already have a proud history and have helped many isolated and vulnerable people in our community“.
Inclusion of a charity in the Russell IP Charity Advent Calendar does not necessarily constitute an endorsement by Russell IP of the charity concerned.