Every year musicians from the Swaledale Festival go out on visits to care homes in our area to put on a short concert of live music for the residents there. For the past few years one of the principal musicians to do this has been singer Patricia Hammond as it is an activity about which she is passionate. Live music and musicians have a an incredibly beneficial effect on those living in such homes and this is both immediate and relatively long lasting.
Care UK who run a number of such homes recognise these benefits and so when the Festival applied for one of their grants they generously agreed to give £1500 to help cover the costs of the Wandering Minstrels programme plus an additional £500 to make minibus transport available to residents in Swaledale who wished to attend concerts but were unable to do so without transport. The use of the minibus was also offered to young people to enable them to go to concerts without parents or others with cars.
On 1 June Patricia Hammond and Matt Redman visited Care UK's home at The Terrace in Richmond where they performed for the residents. Dr Sue Miller, a Festival Board Member also attended to receive their cheque on behalf of the Board. It was presented by Dianna Coy, regional Director of Care UK.One of the residents who greatly enjoyed this special concert was Nancy Thomas who has been a resident there for 24 years, longer than anyone else. 
This Community work along with its Education projects, neither of which is seen by most Festival goers, is regarded by the Board and staff as an essential element of what the Swaledale Festival is and does. If you would be interested in supporting this work specifically please contact enquiries@swalefest.org