ROMSEY MILL
THE MUSIC PROGRAMME
Romsey mill is charity that tackles inequality around the cambridgshire region. After starting up in 1980 they have helped many people with many different problems; Romsey mill has a variety of clubs and activities that they put on at all three different sites around the city. The clubs they offer are a young mums group, a youth club and a music programme. These clubs are in place to ensure that young people constantly have the help they need.
During my visit to the north cambridge site i spoke to a lot of the children who attend the youth club. They all seemed so happy and content with the charity and the activities they offer; many of the kids i spoke to had only been attending for a short amount of time but said that Romsey mill had definately had a postive impact on their lives. When i asked what they like most about the organisation i got a lot of different feedback such as making new friends, playing games, having snacks and just generally having a place they can go a escape from their troubles.
Whilst talking to all the kids I got talking to this one boy who had been attending romsey mill for over 4 years. He spoke about how before the help and support of the youth workers he was in a bad place and would get into a lot of trouble. Since attending the youth club weekly he said that he had really managed to turn his life around and has found a passion, that the charity has helped support, that he wishes to pursue.
When I first walked in it was lovely to see one of the youth workers helping him to set up and telling him ways in which he could improve. I asked the boy to elaborate a little more about the passion Romsey mill helped him pursue. He told me that he loved music, specifically drill, and it was something that he felt he was good at. He described music as a source that made him happy and some kind of escape from the troubles he once found himself in. I encouraged him to play me some of his songs and i was very impressed.
unfortunately i didnt have much time to keep on talking to him so decided to arrange another visit to find out more about him.
During my second visit I spoke to the boy again and got to know him more. I ask what made him want to start making music; he replied with "drill has always been my favourite genre of music and when i found out Romsey mill had a music programme I really wanted to go for it and hopefully produce my own music'" he then added "I hope that it goes somewhere and i can carry on with it in the future".
He also told me that it wasn't just the fact that it was passion that made him enjoy coming to the youth club but it was also the friends he had made. He loved how he could invite his friends into the studio to record with him or just even sit a listen to some of his songs. From an outsiders perspecticve, you can tell that the boy and all his friends have so much fun at club and that Romsey mill fulfills all their needs and wants.
