The Spitz Charitable Trust
The Spitz Charitable Trust creates enriching opportunities for participation in live music for wellbeing in care homes and adult day centres
Last updated 6th May 2020
About The Spitz Charitable Trust, their work and history
Live music is good for health and happiness. It improves everything from memory and mood, to heart health and dementia. Despite this, many in the UK, including around half a million people in care homes, do not have regular access to live music.
The Spitz Charitable Trust are currently in long-term residency at Bridgeside Lodge Care Home, London, to improve the quality of life of frail and disadvantaged elders through live music-making activities - reducing isolation and enhancing wellbeing.
The Spitz Charitable Trust was born out of former London music venue The Spitz, in Spitalfields Market. The Spitz venue enjoyed a successful 11 years building a formidable reputation for excellence and innovation. Unfortunately, the market's renovation meant closure and the loss of one of London's best loved venues. The Spitz was awarded charitable status in December 2013.
Drawing on some of London’s finest musicians from a large reservoir of talent built in the original Spitz venue, their participatory music sessions and public events have proven to ease anxiety, encourage interaction and improve wellbeing and memory through mental and physical participation.
You can find out more about their work here
About their work during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown
Despite the emergency measures and social distancing recommendations, The Spitz are doing everything they can to keep bringing live music for wellbeing to those who need it.
Bridgeside Lodge Care Home, where they do the majority of their work, closed their doors to non-essential visitors from Thursday 19th March. Not to be deterred, Spitz musicians Laurence Corns and Marcus Bonfanti set up a PA system in the garden of Bridgeside Lodge, wandered the canal path and sang at the windows of residents, while other residents danced on the balconies.
Since the lockdown, they have remained in constant contact with the staff and residents of Bridgeside Lodge via WhatsApp, YouTube and FaceTime.
Pianist Arthur Lea has written and recorded a song for the staff of Bridgeside Lodge expressing their gratitude to them and all other frontline healthcare workers.
Over the years, Spitz have got to know residents’ music tastes and favourite bands so pianist Arthur Lea has also recorded a number of songs dedicated to various residents, from his home studio in South London. Spitz sent these on to the staff who have been sharing them in their WhatsApp group and showing the videos to residents.
You can watch and listen to these recordings on their YouTube channel here.
As part of the “Clap for Carers” trend, the whole spitz team have contributed to two clapping-based videos of support for Bridgeside Lodge team