Promoting social inclusion and recovery

Every Tuesday Tony Tang gives up his afternoon to make music with Bromley Music Group (BMG) – local service users who get together once a week to jam and chew the cud at Antenna Studios in Crystal Palace.

Tony, who has been involved with the group since he was a student nurse at Bromley’s Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team based at Blean Grove in Penge, is a Bank Research/Service Evaluation nurse and now attends as a volunteer.

He is in no doubt as to the value of the BMG to the 10-15 members who come regularly: “This is community music. The people who come here – some of whom are escorted while on a section – develop both musical and social skills. It’s important that the group is based in a working studio as members meet other musicians and artists from the community. It’s really important for social inclusion and beneficial to people’s mental health. I think the reason the group works is that it is so enjoyable. I just got hooked – and have actually learned to play the bass guitar myself in the last two years.”

There is a terrific atmosphere at the studios – relaxed, if not to say ‘chilled’ - and tons of enthusiasm and warmth. Nicola, AKA Enjee – her stage name – uses Bromley mental health services and is a regular with the group.

Whilst entertaining everyone with a string of running gags, she also found time to recount her list of singing credits – highlights were performing at last year’s Annual Members’ Meeting (AMM) in the Indigo2 at the 02 and singing recently at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank as part of the Songs of Affliction project which involved service users, carers and staff sharing their experiences of illness and care. Her signature tune is Sunday Girl, originally made famous by 1980s pop sensation Debbie Harrie of Blondie.

Phil Friel, a Community Psychiatric Nurse based at Blean Grove, runs the group with Tony and has been with it since the start. He explained: “The BMG was initiated by service users around six years ago and has grown organically since. We are funded to the tune of £4,000 per year by Oxleas which pays for the rental of the studio, but we are anxious to future-proof the group and have set up a charitable trust fund under Oxleas. This year for the first time we have recorded an album - called Pearl – which we’re all really proud of. People are welcome to have a copy subject to availability. We can’t sell it, as it contains some cover versions, but a donation to BMG would be gratefully received.”

Andrew Moody is a talented author as well as a singer songwriter (he has two novels under his belt) who has been coming to the group for five years. He wrote and performed the song Jeremy on Pearl and wants to pursue a career in music. He said: “When I sing it’s a bit like acting – I inhabit the role and need to feel the emotion to put the song across. I find it therapeutic.”

Pearl was launched at an event at Community House in Bromley on 8 June and according to Tony: “The album is a showcase of the artists that work in the group and is an eclectic mixture of musical styles. It is very listenable and has at its heart a sense of fun and joy - which is the essence of the BMG.”

Phil continued: “We also hope to raise funds for the group from future performances and by producing albums containing material originated by the group.”

One big gig on the horizon is the trust’s AMM 2011 which is once again being held in Indigo2. The group will be running a jamming workshop and performing on the main stage.

Phil and Tony are understandably passionate about the BMG and want to see it grow and prosper. The group has a bi-monthly newsletter, a webpage with videos of performances on the DevelopARTS website www.developarts.co.uk and hopes to build links between service user music groups in Bexley and Greenwich as well as the music community within Bromley.

Phil said: “We are looking for more volunteer musicians to help run the group and join in the sessions. These could be staff or people from the local community. We plan to carry out some research and want to create a network of community music between Oxleas’ three boroughs.

“We involve people by focusing on the positives – what they can do rather than their illness – and boost their interest and enthusiasm. It’s more like fun than therapy. The BMG is very culturally aware – and by that I mean rock and roll and pop is 99% of what we play because that’s what people are interested in. It links better to their lives.”

One of the ways the group is working towards improving social inclusion is by holding ‘open mic’ nights where service users and members of the local community can get together to make music and perhaps even perform poetry and drama. The first open mic is being held on Wednesday 20 July from 5pm-7pm at Community House, South Street, Bromley, admission free.

Oxleas Chief Executive, Stephen Firn, has been very impressed by the BMG. He told Tony and Phil: “This is a really important initiative which plays a key role in promoting social inclusion and the recovery of service users.”

For more information about the group, or to get a copy of the album, contact Tony or Phil on 020 8676 8250 or email tony.tang@oxleas.nhs.uk.