Howarth Charity Grade-One-athon

September; our bank holidays have gone, our summer cools off and our children go back to school. Some hopeful and festively optimistic souls are even beginning their countdown to Christmas. Here at Howarth of London seven brave staff members have taken the chance for a new beginning: the great Grade-One-A-Thon of 2016. We will be raising money for the inspiring and life-changing music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins.

We are all experienced musicians who use our expertise and skills to advise on woodwind instruments and accessories to our customers, ranging from beginners who may have never seen the instruments before to top international performers. At Howarth of London we specialise in oboe, bassoon, saxophone and clarinet with a small selection of flutes as well. Our characterful Chiltern Street showrooms have 24 members of staff who are available six days a week to answer any questions and to find the best possible products for our customers’ needs.
At least one staff member from each instrument’s shop (as well as our trusty mail order expert!) has agreed to try an instrument they’ve never attempted before and to be examined in October on the first ABRSM grade to prove our hard work in aid of charity.

Music therapy is an example of how musicians like us and our customers can make a true difference to lives of vulnerable and isolated people.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COmuqm24zqI?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0]

Watch this video to see Annie Lennox, Nordoff Robbins ambassador, explore the life-changing work they do. It takes two years of intense and challenging training to become a music therapist – a training that Nordoff Robbins facilitates. They support and undertake ground-breaking research, and with no government funding we couldn’t think of a better cause to support than the help they offer using the art we work with and love.

Please support our team in their work towards this exam, and follow this link to donate: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/howarthoflondongrade1

Pop in, give us a call, or send an email to sales@howarth.uk.com to show your support, and I’m sure one of us can give you a demonstration of where we are so far! Follow this blog over the coming weeks to meet more of us and see how we’re getting on.

For now, wish me luck as I try and work out just how exactly you put a bassoon together…