Come and join us for fun and social music-making sessions that will make you feel good!

My name is Helen Hayes and I am a trained and experienced music leader.  My focus is to help people feel physically and mentally better through sharing the joy of music.  After working for two years as a freelance community musician, I decided to set up Swell Music to help me reach out to vulnerable members of the community and offer opportunities to take part in high-quality  activities and feel the wellbeing benefits of music.

I offer sessions that are tailored for different groups including people affected by dementia, people living with Parkinson’s and adults with learning and/or physical disabilities.  I am also a trained Singing for Lung Health practitioner. I  also work with individuals who may benefit from from my  hands-on and supportive approach.

For example, I lead group singing sessions for people who are living with dementia and I so enjoy seeing people come alive and enjoy the music.  Everyone in the room joins in and the carers tell me it cheers them up no end.  I also work one-to-one with a woman who found that she could not play the piano so well after surviving a stroke, so I have helped her to find new ways of making music with me, which has not only improved her wellbeing but has also helped her to function better in her speech and general movement.

I offer  a warm welcome and everyone can join in, even if you have no musical experience.  A typical session will include a fun warm up, learning  some new songs and a chance to sing your heart out with some old favourites!  People are invited to play instruments if they would like to and I try to react to the energy in the room and create a safe and engaging environment.  Of course, there’s always time for a cuppa and a chat too.

Last Updated: 13th October, 2022