Live music for wellbeing charity, the Spitz Charitable Trust, has received the Mayor of London’s Culture Seeds Award for ‘Culture and Wellbeing 2019’.
The charity received a grant from Culture Seeds in Autumn 2018 which funded a ‘1-to-1’ arts project at Bridgeside Lodge Care Home in Islington (where the Spitz is based) and a Winter Solstice Party in December 2018.
The Spitz was presented with the award by Mayor Sadiq Khan at City Hall on Thursday 16 May 2019.
In addition, Spitz violinist, Tanya Cracknell (aka The Grime Violinist), performed Stormzy’s Blinded By Your Grace at the award ceremony (available on the Spitz’s Facebook page here).
Sadiq Khan said:
‘I want to congratulate The Spitz Charitable Trust for their excellent work in Islington – you are proof that culture can benefit us all.’
Jane Glitre, Spitz Director, said:
‘As a young charity, winning the Mayor’s ‘Culture and Wellbeing Award’ gives the recognition and exposure that we need to propel our work forward.
‘The Culture Seeds money helped us to deepen our work in Bridgeside Lodge Care Home and to prove that focussing on individuals who are isolated and lonely can have a positive effect on the welfare and mood of the whole – including other residents, staff and family members.’
The Spitz Charitable Trust at Bridgeside Lodge Care Home
The Spitz’s ‘1-to-1’ arts project at Bridgeside Lodge Care Home in Islington focussed on deepening relationships with individual residents of the home and the positive knock-on effect this had on the wellbeing and mood of all the residents, staff, family and friends.
The first project was a series of guitar lessons between Bridgeside Lodge resident, John Chamen, and Thom Rowlands of the Spitz.
Care Home Manager, Fatma Makalo, said:
‘John used to be incredibly anxious and would hardly ever leave his room but now he’s joining in, he’s smiling. He’s unrecognisable, you’ve done wonders. It’s great, it’s amazing, it’s a transformation.’
The second project with resident, Aida Martinez, was a series of chats with Jane Glitre, Director of the Spitz, about Aida’s life after she learned that her illness had become terminal.
Aida Martinez said:
‘Thank you for writing my life stories now my time has nearly come. It’s been good to talk.’
For more information about the Spitz Charitable Trust, please click here.
