The schools music charity Restore The Music (RTM) has announced Lady Ella Windsor as its new patron.
It has also announced £160k in new funding to ten state schools across London, Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle. This will contribute towards resourcing challenged music departments, with a reach of over 8,000 students, enabling them to access nearly 1,000 instruments and other equipment.
RTM was founded in 2013 with the aim of providing targeted support to help bridge the gap in music provision at some of the most underserved state schools in four of the UK’s cities. Its awards – which are expressly for the purpose of rebuilding music departments and enabling access to music for all students – provide up to £20,000 for primary and secondary schools in areas of high socio-economic deprivation. It has so far awarded over £2.7 million across over 160 state schools, reaching more than 100,000 students aged 4–18.
RTM co-founder and CEO Polly Stepan Moore said: ‘I am delighted to welcome Lady Ella Windsor as Patron of Restore The Music. She was instrumental in RTM’s presence, with its young musicians’ performances, at the recent “Together At Christmas” carol concert organised by HRH The Princess Of Wales and will be a huge asset as Patron. As a musician and lifelong music lover, Ella shares our vision that every child deserves access to a music education right through their school years so they can have the best chance to thrive through their lives.’
Lady Ella said: ‘Music can do so much to help build confidence, imagination and social skills— all of which are, I believe, essential to learning. On a recent visit to a school served by RTM, I was dazzled by the student performances, Rachmaninoff on piano, jazz saxophone, drums and Spanish guitar. They transported us to another place – far from a school classroom. What a stunning snapshot of talent, teaching and world class instruments funded by Restore the Music. It will be such an honour to serve as Patron to this exceptional charity, which creates opportunities for children to thrive through the power of music.’
