Project Bethlehem
Music as Therapy International is delighted to be working in partnership with Music Therapist Claire Tillotson and Canon Paul Miller, a Vicar in the Diocese of Rochester, to deliver Project Bethlehem. MasT International were first approached by Claire and Paul to help think of ways to build on some initial music therapy training that they had provided to local staff at the SOS Children’s Village in Bethlehem over the last two years. The village is home to approximately 97 orphaned children, many of whom have emotional and behavioural problems as a result of living in war-torn Palestine.
It was decided that a six-week Introductory Training Project would be one of the best ways to support Local Partners and address the children’s needs, and Phase One of the project was implemented towards the end of last year. We recruited an excellent volunteer team to deliver the training and Music Therapist Liz Coombes and her ‘Assistant’ Hannah McCabe travelled to Bethlehem in October 2009. After the six weeks, local staff were left with the musical instruments, skills, experience and confidence they needed to run a music programme to benefit those children traumatised by the effects of war. To read more about this initial six week visit take a look at the Sponsors Report here. Liz and Hannah also kept a Blog throughout Project Bethlehem. To read the Blog follow the link here or go to our News section.
Separately, over the last two years, Paul and Claire have received support from the McCabe Educational Trust and the Diocese of Rochester to fund a Palestinian musician to train as a music therapist in the UK in 2010. Once he graduates in 2012, he will return to Palestine as a qualified music therapist and help develop the music programme and work alongside Local Partners at the SOS Village. We have not yet defined what role MasT International may play in this exciting area of Paul's and Claire's work, but we wait with anticipation to see how it unfolds.
None of this would be happening at all if it wasn't for the generosity of Abernethy Parish Church, The Bryan Guinness Charitable Trust, The Diocese of Rochester, Hope Park Parish Church St. Andrews, McCabe Educational Trust, Newport School of Education, St. Andrews Rotary Club, St. Mary's Church, Shortlands, Warwick School, Neil Robbie, Jessica Wolpert and Ms V. Paylor. We can't thank them enough.
For any further information about Project Bethlehem 2009, please contact janerobbie@musicastherapy.org.
