Oldham children are making a big noise

First Choice Homes Oldham

An innovative musical project is helping children gain confidence by learning how to play instruments and bringing the local community together.

The Incredible Plastic Street Band’ is run by local organisations including First Choice Homes Oldham. It uses plastic instruments including trumpets and trombones that are much lighter and cost less than the average brass instrument, but still work in the same way.

The weekly sessions have not only given children in the area a chance to learn how to play an instrument, but it has also given parents in the community the opportunity to come to the sessions and meet other parents.

One parent said: “It has brought out my daughters confidence and allowed her to make some new friends and meet new people”.

The after-school sessions for children from the Lees and Holts area, take place in a community project building, known as the Holts and Lees Community Hub.

Susanne Knapper, who is from First Choice Homes Oldham and works in the Holts and Lees team is involved in the project, said, “This is a fantastic project for children aged four to twelve. They have lots of fun whilst learning how to play an instrument. With some of the parents attending too it allows us to speak to them about what other activities they would like to see on the estate and enables us to encourage them to get things started with our help”.

After a successful pilot scheme on the Holts estate in early 2017, The ‘Incredible Plastic Street Band’ was given funding by Oldham Partnership to continue with the musical project. The project will now run until July 2018.

Due to the success of the project, a special Lantern Parade was organised by the Holts & Lees Community Hub at Christmas for the band to showcase their talents.

The community came together to make lanterns, with the help of Oldham Play Action Group, to carry during the parade, while the band took part playing their instruments. The event was a great success around the community, with the support of family, friends and neighbours.