Impact Report 2012

Impact Report

2012

Providing essential help to musicians for more than 90 years

helpmusicians.org.uk

Chairman’s message As the economic uncertainty continues and the number of musicians in need increases, we are maintaining our position at the forefront of charities that support professional musicians.

About us

2011 was a year of research for us. We asked our beneficiaries and musicians more widely for their views on our current services and about the pressures facing professional musicians. As a result, we now know that a benevolent fund for musicians has never been more needed than it is today.

In 2011, we saw more demand for our services than ever, with over 950 people benefiting from our support.

We help musicians who play, sing or create all styles of music – from blues to Baroque, country to classical, folk to funk. Our support is tailored to each person, with financial assistance based on an assessment of needs.

Who we help and when We support….

• Musicians at the start of their careers who need support as they join the profession • Musicians who hit a crisis, such as an illness or accident, during their working lives • Musicians who are thinking about retirement, as well as those later on in their lives To qualify for our help, a musician need not be a member or even a supporter. The main criterion is working in, or having worked in, the music profession. Our help also extends to those who work in related occupations such as record producers, piano tuners and sound engineers and we can occasionally help the dependants of musicians.

Some musicians need our advice and guidance; others need a combination of advice and financial support. Before we provide financial help, we ask about people’s existing financial resources.

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We know that emerging young artists face particular difficulties as they strive to enter a crowded marketplace. We also know that while working in the music industry can be rewarding, low incomes, antisocial hours, irregular employment, touring at home and abroad, and continuous physical work and psychological strain can take their toll. We also understand about the difficulties musicians face when it comes to retiring and we aim to empower them to get the best out of later life.

From what we have learned during 2011, we will shape our strategies and policies to make sure that they continue to be relevant, dynamic, sensitive and appropriate to those we are here to help.

My thanks for a year of high achievement go to our staff team and to our visitors and volunteers, and to our trustees and committee members. Heartfelt thanks too to all those who support our cause either as donors, Friends, Christmas card customers, fundraisers, or, crucially, through remembering us in their wills.

The Hon Richard Lyttelton Chairman

“It is essential that we are alert to a constantly changing musical landscape not only with a view to making our current services as good as they can be, but also to refine, evaluate and improve them for the future…”

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We help music professionals who are struggling to cope financially when they can’t work because of a short-term physical or psychological illness or injury. We help them to get back to fitness and – crucially – to work. Where that’s not possible we can help with retraining costs, or support those coming to terms with living with a degenerative illness. We also support, with sensitivity, those with terminal illnesses and their families.

These are some of the ways we achieve this: • Rapid response to requests for help • Therapy grants to help with physical or psychological conditions • Grants to cover household bills during a period of illness • Visits to our beneficiaries in their own homes to assess their ongoing needs • Respite grants to give beneficiaries and/or their carers a much needed break • Help and advice which is compassionate, discreet, bespoke and personal In 2011 we saw an almost 80% increase in applications for help from working musicians facing a crisis. It was essential that we were able to react to cases quickly, so we have taken action to significantly reduce the time it takes to assess an application.

We are proud that urgent cases have resulted in help being provided in no more than ten days.

Occasionally some cases have needed even quicker action with a 24-hour turnaround.

©Kevin Joseph

Music professionals in crisis

Singer-songwriter Sophie Garner was helped in 2011 when she had to undergo a career-threatening vocal operation.

“You helped get me through one of the toughest financial times I have ever had; I don’t quite know where I would be now without your support.”

Fact: In 2011, we gave crisis support to 170 professional musicians.

50% of those we supported in 2011 were aged under 50 and 75% under 65.

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©Live Music Now, photographer Jonathan Goldberg

Continuing care and later life Providing long-term support for those with debilitating illnesses and musicians in retirement remains an important priority for us. In 2011 we provided ongoing help to 575 musicians or their dependants, either living in their own homes or in care. The oldest beneficiary receiving continuing care is 97, the youngest is 50, with the average age being 76.

We provide the following help: • Quality of life grants • One-off grants to help with unanticipated and unaffordable expenses • Assistance with home help or care home fees • Respite grants to beneficiaries and/or their carers • Grants towards mobility aids • Therapeutic treatment grants • Concerts in residential homes in partnership with Live Music Now • Visits to our beneficiaries in their own homes or care homes • Help in securing State benefits • Advice and personal support 6

Fact: In 2011 the Fund provided a range of financial grants to improve the quality of life for older musicians and those with debilitating illnesses amounting to almost £800,000.

Visiting beneficiaries and our new volunteer network Our relationship with beneficiaries is important to us. In 2011 we undertook research to ask them what they wanted from our services and how they would like us to keep in touch with them.

The feedback about the continuing importance of home visits was overwhelming. We maintain this service with a team of professionals who visit our beneficiaries, both to assess their needs and to offer advice and guidance.

During 2011 we established a volunteer network of 16 Musicians’ Supporters who will begin visiting beneficiaries in 2012. They are based throughout the UK and their work will complement that of our professional visitors.

“Your visit really made a difference to me – my spirits were lifted for several weeks afterwards. Thank you.”

Fact: In 2011, 450 beneficiaries were visited in their own homes or in care homes.

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Grants and awards

Fact:

We support individual musicians and groups with exceptional musical potential and few financial resources through a number of award schemes.

All of our schemes focus on those who are making a significant impact within their chosen musical specialism.

87% of postgraduate award recipients (2004 2010) who responded to a recent survey are now working as professional musicians.

In 2011, 88 awards were made to outstanding young classical and jazz artists undertaking advanced postgraduate study, and to 21 emerging solo artists and groups working in a number of genres including folk, rock and pop. We also helped 12 working musicians with continuing professional development projects.

Working with partners In 2011 we contributed to projects run by 20 partner organisations. Each of these exceptional projects provides outstanding young artists at the start of their professional lives an opportunity to hone their skills at the highest level. Examples include: string players working with, and learning from, some of the UK’s leading orchestras; and jazz musicians learning about production, performance and self-promotion skills through an initiative with a top music producer.

©Michael Pattison

©Nobby Clark

Future professionals

Bass-baritone Ashley Riches was given help with his final study costs.

“I’m extremely grateful for the support I have received from the Musicians Benevolent Fund – my studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama would have been impossible without it.”

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Promising young punk rock band Chapter 24 were given an award to enable them to go to South by Southwest, an industry showcase and music festival in Austin, Texas.

Band member Claire Smith says:

“The award helped us to promote our music in the American market. This really is the chance of a lifetime.”

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Student Health Scheme

Fact: 102 students received essential treatment for performance-related health problems in 2011, with individual grants of up to £500 totaling £28,000.

Music students working intensively on their instrument or voice can experience performancerelated problems, both physical and psychological.

We set up the Student Health Scheme five years ago, realising often just a little help at the right time can make a vital difference, whether that’s through advice and guidance, or help with treatment costs.

In 2011 we carried out research with over 100 students who had benefited through the Scheme over the past 5 years and the results underline the importance of the Scheme in helping young people recover from injury and get back on track.

Pianist Yasmin Rowe had problems in her right hand that were causing her pain and affecting her playing. After being diagnosed with hypermobility, we were able to help with treatment costs for specialist hand therapy.

“I am so grateful to you for helping me to obtain specialist treatment – it really made a difference.”

BAPAM The Student Health Scheme is run in partnership with the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine [BAPAM], which assesses patients and recommends appropriate treatment. The Musicians Benevolent Fund is the principal funder of BAPAM, whose wider brief is to provide specialist health support to all full-time and part-time professional and student performing artists – musicians, actors and dancers – as well as production personnel, throughout the UK. Find out more at bapam.org.uk

Fact: 10

91% of students felt like their treatment had made essential changes to the way they approached practice and performance. ©Simon Ritter

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2011 Finances

2%

11%

Incoming resources 2011

Other income

Fundraising and trading income

£000 Gifts in wills

£3,369

64%

Investment income

£1,205

23%

Fundraising and trading income

£581

11%

Other income

£135

2%

Total

£5,290

100%

64%

Gifts in wills

23%

Investment income

2%

Resources expended 2011 £000 Crisis and continuing care

£1,771

55%

Future professionals

£468

15%

Partnerships

£233

7%

Grant to BAPAM

£188

6%

Fundraising and marketing

£386

12%

Investment property management

£59

2%

Governance costs

£105

3%

Total

£3,210

100%

Investment property management

12%

Fundraising and marketing

3%

Governance costs

6%

Grant to BAPAM

Our investment portfolio is maintained at a level to provide about one-third of our annual income, so we rely on donations and gifts in wills to provide the balance. While donations tend to be stable year on year, gifts in wills are unpredictable. In 2011 we benefited from an additional £2m income from gifts in wills over and above what we had anticipated, so we have retained this surplus and have carried it forward to benefit musicians in future years.

This decision was taken for several reasons: increased competition among charities for gifts in wills and donations, uncertainty in the economy and in financial markets, and the rising number of musicians in crisis contacting us. These factors have increased the risk that, in the near future, our income may not be sufficient to meet the needs of those musicians who come to us for help. Consequently, the surplus has been retained in our investment fund and is available to be used to help musicians when it is needed.

55%

7%

Crisis and continuing care

Partnership grants

15%

Grants for future professionals

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Raising our profile and funds

The Musicians Benevolent Fund has an aim to be known by all UK musicians and for them to know that we are open to all who need our help, advice or guidance. In 2011 we increased our use of technology by developing our Twitter and Facebook accounts.

We now have over 3,000 followers on Twitter, more than 800 Facebook fans and in addition we had 45,000 unique visits to our website. The internet is vital in helping us reach musicians, music industry professionals, Friends and donors.

Thank you to all of those who supported our work last year, either through donating or fundraising. We receive no State aid and therefore rely on donations and Gifts in Wills to fund our vital work. Your gift, however large or small, makes a real difference to musicians’ lives.

Composer Sandy Faris celebrated his 90th birthday along with the Fund in 2011.

“The help given to me has greatly relieved me from worry and helped me through many years of anxiety. I have left a gift in my will to say thank you.”

If you would like to find out more about our work and how to support us, please call

020 7239 9114

e-mail communications@helpmusicians.org.uk or visit helpmusicians.org.uk. follow us on facebook.com/Musiciansbenevolentfund Sophie Garner went to great heights to help the Fund

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MusiciansBFund 15

Musicians Benevolent Fund 7-11 Britannia Street London WC1X 9JS T: 020 7239 9100 E: info@helpmusicians.org.uk W: helpmusicians.org.uk Patron: Her Majesty The Queen Chairman: The Hon Richard Lyttelton I Chief Executive: David Sulkin Registered Charity No. 228089

Providing essential help to musicians for more than 90 years

helpmusicians.org.uk

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