Transforming experiences of healthcare and hospital for children and young people with complex needs

December News!

What a Year!

Hello and welcome to our December newsletter!

As the year draws to a close we celebrate the impact and legacy of our work. 

Gloria, our Young Creator Project Support, has done an amazing job of taking on the newsletter since joining us. This month she's worked hard to pull together information and feedback from our projects, highlighting the reach and value of our work.

She's also compiled 2 case studies from members of our RNCM student community, who are now developing further opportunities for themselves and their peers  - enabling more children and young people in hospital to benefit from the power of music. 

Merry Christmas from all of us at Songbirds!!! 

Ros, Mark and Juliet

Lead Musicians, Co-Founders and Co-Directors, Songbirds Music UK

From Fledgling to Creative Leader: Tammy’s New Hospital Project

Tammy was a Songbirds Fledgling participant in 2025, and this year she is continuing her journey with us through her fourth-year Creative Project at the RNCM. Building on the skills and inspiration she gained during her Songbirds placement, she is now developing an exciting new collaboration with Songbirds: an interactive, ward-based concert project for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital!

Here’s Tammy to share what she’s been creating:

Hi! I’m Tammy, a final-year student at the RNCM, and I’m excited to share my creative project for this year. During my third year, I had the privilege of training with Songbirds UK and bringing live music into hospital wards. With guidance from Ros and Mark, I learned how to create connection, comfort, and moments of joy for children and families in healthcare settings. That experience has stayed with me and inspired me to continue this meaningful work in my final year.

For my Creative Project, I am bringing an interactive concert into the wards of Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. The aim is to create a warm, uplifting, and stimulating atmosphere through music that is inclusive and full of imagination. The concert, titled A World of Songs, features folk music from around the globe, arranged by me for a small chamber ensemble. It will also include a brand-new interactive composition that combines storytelling, improvisation, and audience participation. Alongside the performance, children will receive activity booklets and engage with visual and tactile elements. I’m drawing on many skills I learned during my Songbirds placement, including responding to children’s needs moment by moment, offering choices, and using music to build meaningful connections. A particularly heartwarming part of this project is that all the musicians involved are also former Songbirds fledglings, reflecting how much the programme has shaped and inspired us.

When I asked my fellow musicians how they felt about working together again, their responses were full of warmth. Nadia Wilson shared that she is excited to offer songs from different cultures, as they may resonate deeply with patients from diverse backgrounds. Julia also mentioned that coming together again “felt easy and natural,” thanks to the bond we formed during our original placement. Hearing their enthusiasm has made me even more excited to bring this concert to life. I’m truly grateful to Ros and Mark for their support and for helping to connect us with the hospital team.

Below: Fledgling musicians working together again for Tammy’s project

Spotlight on Ffion & Poppy

Ffion and Poppy are both fourth-year vocal students at the RNCM. They took part in the placement module with Songbirds last year and are now preparing a Christmas Carols session for patients in Paediatric Critical Care in the Royal Manchester Children Hospital on 16th December. Ffion shared her experiences of learning with Songbirds and how it has supported her growing interests in music and health:

“Learning with Songbirds has opened my eyes to a completely different side of music, and I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s been really rewarding to see how music can support people’s wellbeing, and being part of that feels incredibly moving. Songbirds has also helped me grow as a musician — I’ve become more confident improvising, adapting in the moment, trying different instruments, and communicating clearly with the people I’m making music with. It has genuinely broadened my interests in both music and health, and shown me how the two can work beautifully together.”

Below: Ffion and Poppy in RMCH with Ros and Mark

2025 in short

In the second half of the year, we officially launched our Hospital of Music project, funded by Youth Music. Since starting in August, we’ve delivered 11 Youth Club sessions and 18 Ward sessions, building gentle, creative moments with young people and patients across the hospital.

Our ongoing Sound Environment project has continued to grow beautifully — since May, we’ve run 55 sessions, each one helping to bring calm, colour, and connection to different spaces in the hospital.

We were also thrilled to welcome 18 new musicians into our community this year:
– 4 Young Creators, who are now contributing their own ideas and

artistry to the Hospital of Music project;
– 12 Fledgling Musicians, who joined us through the Fledgling Project

earlier this year and have been blossoming beautifully, bringing music

and moments of joy into children’s wards across Manchester.

Across all our projects, we’ve had 828 interactions with patients and young people — including 29 through Youth Club, 226 in Ward sessions, and 573 through the Sound Environment project. Each of these moments represents a connection, a shared breath, and a small but meaningful shift toward wellbeing and joy.

We’re incredibly grateful to every musician, partner, young person, and member of staff who has been part of this journey. Thank you for helping us make music possible in places where it’s needed most.

Below: 2025 Infographic

Thanks for reading!!

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