Welcome to Sing for your Life

How We Started

We are a registered charity that started in 2005 and we support the health and wellbeing of older people using participatory singing activities.

We support Care Homes and Community Groups to run participatory singing sessions. We also coordinate Silver Song Clubs, which provide regular singing clubs. Our work is embedded in research undertaken by the Sidney De Haan Centre based within Canterbury Christ Church University.

Our work is supported by the published findings of a Randomised Controlled Trial (Simon Coulton et al) which has been used to support the NICE Guidance NG32 and the subsequent NICE Quality Standard QS137. This is the foundation of our work which is then further confirmed by the feedback we receive from facilitators and participants.

We have adopted the mantra “a song a day keeps the doctor away!

Singing is truly a wonderful therapeutic activity and what is becoming increasingly clear to us is that there is growing body of clinical evidence that can prove it!

Sing For Your Life (South West) Ltd  was incorporated on 17 April 2008.

Sing for your Life (South East) Ltd was set up in 2016 by Pip Collings to provide greater support for the Thames Valley and East Anglia. 

Simon Coulton et al, Sept 2015, Br J Psychiatry;207(3):250-5. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.113.129908. Epub 2015 Jun 18. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of community singing on mental health-related quality of life of older people: randomised controlled trial 
Conclusion
Community group singing appears to have a significant effect on mental health-related quality of life, anxiety and depression, and it may be a useful intervention to maintain and enhance the mental health of older people.
 
Sing for your life participants

Where we're at now

Sing for Your Life now delivers programmes to support people with long term health conditions.

The Silver Song Music Box™ Programme is for residential care homes, day centres and hospitals

Awards and recognition

  • In 2014 SFYL was awarded a Commendation by the Royal Society For Public Health Arts and Health Awards

  • Creative Arts and the Wellbeing of Older People

  • Commendation for excellent and innovative contributions to arts and health practice

Founder Stuart Brown
Founder Stuart Brown
Musical Consultant Adrian Bawtree
Musical Consultant Adrian Bawtree
Director of Sing for your Life (South East) Ltd. Pip Collings
Director of Sing for your Life (South East) Ltd. Pip Collings

Registered charity

Sing For Your Life was established as a registered charity (1113757) and company limited by guarantee (5393332) in 2005 to provide older people with musical activities.