Donate to our music therapy for neurorehabilitation clinic
Music Bridge: music therapy for community neurorehabilitation
Every Friday, music therapists from Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research (CIMTR) provide free, specialist music therapy for stroke and acquired brain injury survivors, supporting their movement, speech, cognition, mood and confidence.
Many stroke and acquired brain injury survivors in Cambridgeshire have little or no access to long-term community rehabilitation. Furthermore, local rehabilitation services are over-capacity, meaning emotional, cognitive, and social needs often go unmet. The clinic therefore makes a vital contribution to the community.
The clinic also provides the only neurorehabilitation placement for our Music Therapy Masters students – strengthening the future workforce in a critically under-resourced area.
Although the clinic operates from ARU’s purpose-built Jerome Booth Centre, we receive no core funding. By making a donation, you can help us keep this essential community service running.
How your donation makes a difference
Evidence from neuroscience shows that rhythm, melody and structured musical exercises activate motor, speech and cognitive networks, supporting recovery after stroke and brain injury. Specifically, patients who have attended the clinic have reported:
- Improved arm and hand function
- Improved coordination
- Improved speech and communication
- Increased energy levels, and reduced levels of fatigue
- Improvements in concentration, motivation and mood
Attendees have said:
"It’s fun, really enjoyable and the time goes so quickly, I didn’t realise I’d been playing for so long."
"It helps you get into a sort of rhythm, things go more smoothly if you get into a rhythm."
"I feel like my fingers have become more active, especially my thumb, opening and closing has definitely improved."
"I really enjoyed the session and gave me a sense of belonging."
Others who benefit from our clinic include:
- Family caregivers
- NHS and community rehab teams, who gain a referral pathway
- Social prescribers looking for accessible wellbeing options
- Music Therapy Masters students
How your donation will help
Every donation we receive makes a difference. Your contribution will help us cover the following costs:
£25
Neurorehabilitation materials, instruments, and home practice resources for one survivor for a month.
£50
Administrative and coordination costs for one month – ensuring survivors can self-refer easily and sessions are scheduled and run smoothly to optimise engagement, attendance and adherence to exercises and activities.
£75
Subsidised transport for stroke survivors who cannot otherwise attend the clinic.
£100
Full music therapy session for a brain injury survivor with clinic leader Dr Alex Street (right, with trainee music therapist Hannah Nichol) and one trainee music therapist.
£200
One month of clinical supervision for a trainee music therapist.
£500
Entire Friday clinic session (therapist time, space, equipment, admin), directly supporting 3-6 survivors.
£750
One full day of senior specialist input (equivalent to ARU’s assessed daily rate), supporting treatment, evaluation, student supervision, and community development.
£1,000
Six-week rehabilitation programme for a stroke survivor, including assessment, weekly therapy, and home practice materials.
£2,500
Full six-week neurorehabilitation block for a group of up to six survivors.
£5,000
One year of neurorehabilitation placement training for a Music Therapy Masters student.
£10,000
Keeping the Friday clinic running for an entire year, supporting over 20-30 brain injury survivors and training 2-4 music therapists.
If you're looking to make a substantial donation, please contact ARU's Development Team at [email protected]
Help support our stroke and neurorehabilitation clinic with a one-off donation - quote "Stroke clinic" in the designation boxThank you for your generous support.