Salisbury mum supporting inclusive music group who helped autistic son
A Night of Music 3 is being held at St Thomas' Church
A Salisbury parent is giving back to the inclusive music group that supported her son who has special educational needs.
Dr Polly Jacobs has organised A Night of Music 3 at St Thomas' church in Salisbury tonight (1Saturday 14th September), to give back to the National Orchestra for All (NOFA).
Her son Cameron, who has severe autism, joined the group and was able find success and joy through music.
Dr Jacobs told us the organisation accepted her son for who he is.
"NOFA was life transforming for my son," she said, "When he joined, he was out of school for a year and it just felt like all schools, clubs, you know, he was just facing so much rejection and you know, they took him on and, you know, they wanted my child with his own uniqueness.
"They gave him a place to belong, totally be himself," she said.
Dr Jacobs told us the group takes children who are passionate about music and allows them to thrive.
She said: "The first question I remember them asking me is, you know, what can we do to make this work for your son?
"It wasn't expecting him to be a round peg and a round hole and conform to things that were just not possible, hence, he's been completely successful."
Tonights concert will bring together generations of music lovers with a wide range of musical styles being performed.
Dr Jacobs said music is a universal language, saying: "I think the power of community is to play and perform music together."
Brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents are all taking part in the concert, with Dr Jacobs telling us it's an event 'intended for everyone'.
"It's a similar format to the last two night music concerts, except this time we have a really fantastic big jazz band that's being conducted by Dave Andrews, which is going to be phenomenal," Dr Jacobs said.
The concert, which is free to attend, but will have a retiring collection, opens at 6.00pm, with performances from 6:30pm until around 8:45pm.