Amersham Band Brings Festive Cheer to The Croft Care Home

Thanks to a crowdfunding initiative and generous donations from the local Bucks community, the acclaimed Amersham Band performed a traditional caroling concert at four care homes across Bucks, including The Croft, raising spirits and making a real difference to the lives of the residents this Christmas.   

Like many brass bands across the country, the Amersham Band rely heavily on donations at Christmas, which enable them to bring music to the local community during the festive period and throughout the year.

But due to Covid, the band hasn’t been able to play since March so this year a new approach was taken through a Christmas Crowdfunder, offering socially distanced carols with small numbers of band members. The generosity of the local community has meant that the band can continue to raise much needed funds and get out in the community to spread its usual Christmas cheer.

Our very own The Croft Care Home in Amersham, provides care and support to 60 residents including those with a higher level of specific dementia care needs, and was one of the lucky care homes to be visited by the band.

The Croft Care Home manager, Louise Foyle-York, said:

“The entire care team was completely overjoyed that the Amersham Band offered this very special, socially distanced caroling concert. Our residents always look forward to the yearly visit from the band visit so we are extremely grateful to the local community for its generosity and for the band members giving their time- it truly meant the world to the residents.

“This year, the pandemic has meant that most, if not all, of the usual Christmas activities and visits from local groups have been cancelled and this made this performance all that more special for the residents.   

“We requested a few songs including We Wish You A Merry Christmas, Once in Royal David’s City and We Three Kings- we had a good sing-along to the music and it certainly lifted spirits, it was very Christmassy!”

Caroline Perkins from the Amersham Band says:

“There’s nothing more traditional than a brass band at Christmas and we’re really excited to be out in the community again, bringing festive joy and cheer to people at this special time of year. We feel we need to lift spirits more than ever this year so it means so much to us all to be able to play together again. We would like to thank the local community for their support and we are delighted that that the residents of the care homes enjoyed the concerts so much.”

Amersham Band is a registered charity, providing music to the local community and is registered with the Fundraising Regulator. To find out more about the Christmas Crowdfunder go to https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/amershambandxmas 

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