See poster at the bottom of this page for details of our two groups, and contact details.

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Since the 24th February 2016 in Maidenhead, and 7th September 2017 in Bracknell Tara has been running specialist weekly singing groups which are open to anyone with chronic lung disease to help participants better self-manage their chronic conditions through developing better breathing, correcting postural tension, and building stamina, whilst meeting people with similar conditions. She received training and initial funding from the British Lung Foundation to whom we are affiliated, despite now fundraising as a trust in our own right. Please read on for more details...

 

A Sidney de Haan centre review of research into singing and health reported the following positive effects, amongst many others:

•Physical relaxation and release of physical tension

•Emotional release and reduction of feeling of stress

•A sense of greater personal, emotional and physical wellbeing

•Stimulation of cognitive capacities – attention, concentration, memory

Singing and Health: a systematic mapping and review of non-clinical research, Clift et. Al, Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health (August 2008)

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**UPDATE**

May 2018

Apologies for the delays in updates as we have been SO busy!! We have 25 people on roll at our Bracknell group and 40 at Maidenhead and continue to go from strength to strength, gaining funding from many sources and widening our community support base. Please like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SFLHTCH) for regular updates, or email sflhtch@gmail.com to be added to the list for our quarterly newsletter.

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August 2017

We held a fundraising concert on Sunday the 16th July to raise money for SFLHTCH Maidenhead. We had some brilliant performances from students of TCM Music, and the group itself, and raised just under £400.

We now have 37 members on roll, and have received a £1500 grant from RBWM to expand our outreach, and £1000 from Berkshrire Community Foundation to allow us to start a NEW BRACKNELL GROUP!! Watch this space....

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December 2016

On Sunday 11th December, 13 of our members performed and led congregational singing at the Rotary Club of Maidenhead Thames' Community Citizens' Lunch. They promoted singing for lung health brilliantly amongst a range of citizens from the local community.

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September 2016

On Sat 3rd September, 6 of our members joined singers from the Royal Brompton Hospital at the ERS Conference 2016 in London, and performed to members of the European Lung Foundation on behalf of the British Lung Foundation. The response from delegates from all over Europe was very enthusiastic, and they showed great interest in the benefits of the programme, and to Tara, our group leader, who led the singing workshop with the audience. A great opportunity, and a brilliant performance.

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August 2016

The group has so far received funding from Waitrose Maidenhead of £200, The Rotary Club of Maidenhead Thames of £300, money donated from a concert held by students of Tara Chapman of £421.00, £2000 from the Neighbourhood Budget voting from RBWM, and £500 from the Louis Baylis Trust (you can read more about them at www.whytheadvertiserisspecial.co.uk). This is on top of weekly donations from group members and independent donations of up to £600. Absolutely brilliant that we will be able to sustain for a longer period of time.

The group has 15 members and is growing steadily, and we now have increased support from nurses at Cedars Surgery in addition to our ongoing healthcare professional support from the brilliant respiratory physios for the Royal Borough.

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May 2016

The group was visited by Mayana McDermott and Dr Heather McKee of the British Lung Foundation on the 20th May 2016, who said the following about their visit; "Thank you for making our visit so enjoyable yesterday. We just wanted to say how great we thought you were. You had so much energy and positivity, which really help lift the group and make it so much fun, as well as giving our lungs a good work out. It was evident from the group, how much you've helped them and how wonderful they all think you are."

 

High praise indeed!

 

Tara has gained an interest into singing and lung health due to family health (both her grandfather and her mother have chronic lung conditions), through which she initially became aware of the Singing for Breathing project started by the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, and has seen first hand the improvement singing can have on lung health through work experience, and through teaching a number of private students with chronic lung disease.

Tara gained work experience running the Singing for Breathing groups at Brompton and Harefield in the Autumn Term of 2015-16, and conducted the groups in their Christmas concerts which was an incredible experience, and in 2015, Tara received funding from the British Lung Foundation to set up a Singing for Lung Health group for people with chronic lung disease as part of their self-management programme.

Tara runs her group in Maidenhead on Wednesday afternoons, and it is open to anyone with a chronic lung disease. Details below.