Musical sessions ran by talented Birmingham Conservatoire musicians, Martha Thompson and Emily-May Roebuck have proven to be music to the ears of patients at Good Hope Hospital.

The pair delivered the therapeutic music sessions to elderly patients on ward 11 at the Hospital, running workshops for an hour each day as part of Martha’s final year music project. Martha and Emily-May played a variety of musical instruments including the guitar, flute and recorder to tunes from the past including Elvis Presley’s ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love.’ The students also encouraged patients to develop their own pieces of music through the workshops.

Emily-May Roebuck, Birmingham Conservatoire graduate, said: “Every session was totally different. We needed to think on the spot in relation to people’s reactions, enjoyment and feelings all whilst running the sessions. We had a really enjoyable week.”

Clare Murphy, music co-ordinator for Good Hope Hospital, said, “The workshops couldn’t have gone any better. Music is a powerful tool and has a therapeutic benefit.

”We are hoping to have more music workshops happening on the wards. These types of interactive workshops have a lot of potential to become something great and something unique within the Trust.”

To find out more about volunteering to play music at Good Hope or any of Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust’s Hospitals, contact Clare Murphy or Georgina Farrow on 0121 424 0113 or arts.dept.music@heartofengland.nhs.uk