Ronnie Scott's launch Music Instrument Amnesty

On Saturday 11th of July, Ronnie Scott's will be holding a Music Instrument Amnesty to collect unused instruments and donate them to school aged children in the UK and overseas. The amnesty is organized in association with Sistema England and Music Fund.

Donated instruments will be sent to children whose access to music education has been compromised due to their social situation and/or geographical location through one of Ronnie Scott’s two partners. 

Sistema England is allied to the International Sistema Movement originally set up in Venezuela to benefit street kids through the creation of grass roots orchestras. Some of the 3,000 children in Sistema England’s programs in 14 schools across England will also benefit, from Newcastle to London, and from Liverpool to Norwich. Overseas, the collected instruments will be given a second life through Music Fund which distributes to projects in conflict zones from their base in Brussels. Music Fund is a humanitarian project that supports musicians and music schools in conflict areas and developing countries operating in Africa, the Middle East and Central America. 

It’s an initiative that is especially dear to Ronnie Scott’s Managing Director Simon Cooke who said, “We at Ronnie’s are really pleased to lead this drive helping schools and education projects at home and around the World. Our standing in the jazz world puts us in a great position to ask musicians, our members and the public at large to help us help underprivileged kids by donating their unloved or used music instruments. This is the first of a few new charitable initiatives that the club will be embarking upon.”

Donors are invited to book an advance appointment and then pop in to the legendary Frith Street club anytime between 10am and 3.30pm on Saturday July 11th with the instrument they wish to donate, while they wait for their instrument to be inspected and a tracking number issued - the donor is then able to track their instrument to its final destination whether Newcastle, Liverpool or the war torn Middle East.  This is an invitation to experience the iconic venue, perhaps rubbing shoulders with musicians who have graced the Ronnie’s stage who will be dropping their instruments off too!

Ronnie Scott’s isn’t just offering a drop-off point for instruments though, as well as helping to collect and repair instruments, they will be working alongside the organisations both at home and abroad to inspire a young generation of aspiring jazz musicians. The club will arrange jazz workshops based on its hugely successful Big Band in a Day initiative that invites school kids into Ronnie’s to work with world class musicians in forming their very own big band!

Instruments can be booked in for donation by sending an email to fatine@ronniescotts.co.uk){:target=_blank}