Angel Tarpov Empowerment Fund

My Crowd-Funding Request is to support this young musician, during the corona-virus lockdown.

Listen to some of Angel Tarpov's YouTube Videos first - before you read my post.

https://youtu.be/ejGMbkcCGvo

https://youtu.be/bDbNbn2ss9Q

https://youtu.be/HFBzNqcKaTQ

https://youtu.be/fpqaPllyTm8

https://youtu.be/TpPJsnN1y6g

https://youtu.be/iIqy2ui71LI

My name is DurgaMata. I have a business called DurgaMata of London.

I am a retired teacher, author, artist, and musician, now using my time and energy to raise the consciousness of the world. What else!!! - 

In my view we can't make any enduring positive change, either in our own lives or in the wider world, unless we engage in changing consciousness - which you can think of as working on the energy that flows in and through us. Energy or consciousness is everything. Even the atoms of all matter are simply organised energy, so if we want real change, we need to change the energy or consciousness.

High consciousness is reflected in emotions which bring people - and all that exists - together - emotions like love, joy, sweetness, kindness, compassion and peace.

Low consciousness is reflected in emotions which separate and divide, like anger, fear, hate, jealousy and depression.

I translate 'raising consciousness' for the layman by saying it is reducing stress and increasing happiness.

In normal times I use my skills as an Artist, a Musician, a Public Speaker and a Workshop Facilitator to create this change. But these times are not normal.

As a musician I play the Pipe and Tabor. You can see me busking in the streets of London on most weekends. I love to share the energy and joy which flow in my meditation with the people who pass by. I love to see tired faces relax and smile. I love it when people stop and say, 'You have made my day.' I call my music, Lifting the World One Note at a Time. But I am only a self-taught baby when it comes to being a musician.

As a Workshop-Facilitator and Coach I have created a programme which I call the Seven Steps to Happiness. It is designed to balance the physical and spiritual aspects of our nature and I love to give my two day Well-being and Empowerment Workshops which include Forest Bathing (look it up, it has nothing to do with taking your clothes off) and hands-on silk-painting. I am currently working on a book to share my approach but you can imagine that with the lock-down all the income streams from workshops and busking in the street have been cut off, so I am now designing some empowering and stress-reducing online courses, which will use Zoom. That gives you a bit of background about who I am - see www.durgamataoflondon.com (a website under construction)

So what has this to do with Angel Tarpov? 

Angel Tarpov is a fantastic young Cellist. I am a baby musician but he is the Real McCoy.

Angel comes from Bulgaria and studied cello in Vienna. He has been studying composition in London. We both like to busk outside Embankment Station, since it is a good spot at weekends. We became such good friends that he calls me his English Mum and I call him my Bulgarian Son.

Roll on to the corona-virus times. I am in lock-down, self-isolating with family in Birmingham. I am very grateful that in this country we have pensions, so I have a small income - but Angel has had no means of income except busking. Despite the corona-virus risks involved, he has had no option but to continue busking. With no other relatives or family in the UK I have been keeping in touch as well as possible, by watsap and phone.

Of course the number of people passing has fallen severely. Those who do pass by tend to be hostile and insulting. The police move him on and threaten to arrest him. His income has been slashed. 

Angel tells me that some of the beggars on the streets are getting quite desperate and aggressive. A few weeks ago one of them smashed his cello case. Even with it taped together so he could continue to go out, he was finding it very difficult to earn anything at all. At that time he hadn't eaten for two days, and he hated to ask for help, even from Mum, but of course I did what I could and sent him a bit of my pension money. 

I urged Angel to apply for Universal Credit. He said he had done so but been turned down. I said apply again, appeal and go to anyone who he might know, anyone who might understand the system and help, but at the moment he either has to busk or ask me for help, and all my business was face to face. I'm learning about online courses, but it will take months before that can take off. I can't even busk any more, so I am depending on my pension and it barely covers my own needs. 

After his phone-call I sent Angel £10.00 for food - all I have until my next pension payment comes next week and I get my online courses working. Then I was thinking THIS IS NOT RIGHT. He is one of the best young musicians in the land. I am his only family. There MUST BE SOMETHING I CAN DO. I may not have spare  money at the moment, but I do have a voice.

So I went on Google to see how to do Crowd-Funding, and that is why I am creating this Page.

I have shared the links to just a few of Angel's YouTube videos. Then you can see for yourself. I put them at the top. The links may not work from this platform, but they should copy and paste into YouTube. I'll try to upload a video, too. Listen and hear for yourself how good he is.

I want to start a fund to raise not just enough money for Angel to replace his cello case and survive the lock-down without having to risk catching corona-virus, getting his cello trashed, himself beaten up by angry beggars - or getting arrested by the police who are already warning him and moving him on. I would like to create a fund big enough for him to be able to relax and follow his dreams without being limited by funds. That is my dream. Will you help?

You don't have to give much. Just imagine he was busking and as you passed by you dropped something into his cello case. But if you want to give more, we have two nice Reward Offers. 

Firstly, for anyone who donates £20.00, leave a comment and contact (or message me - Mary Fellows is my Facebook Name)  and I will send you the download link for a book I have been writing all year. It is called How to Win the Game of Life. I have prepared the first 200 pages or so as a Volume One - Love in Action. 

This is not for general release, so please don't share it widely. A big section is about some children who I worked with in the 1970's in Inner City Birmingham. (UK) and  I need to check with some of them that what I recall is accurate. it's taking some time to locate everyone,  but in this emergency, to help Angel, I am happy to share this work (which is also about my love of what I call 'God' and my struggles to practice a serious spiritual life) in order to help him. 

Secondly, for anyone who donates £50.00 Angel will give you a half hour recital or concert, through Zoom. Again I can arrange that if you contact me here in the comments or by Messenger. I also have a Facebook Group - The short link is facebook.com/groups/gratitudejoy Otherwise look for the title of the Group 'Upwards, Towards the Vast Silence.' (Ibsen)

Many thanks for reading my appeal - and millions of thanks if you have given a donation.

Love and Peace DurgaMata (facebook name Mary Fellows)

Crowdfunder is making it 100% free for community and charity crowdfunding projects during the coronavirus crisis. The Covid-19 epidemic could affect millions of people in the next few weeks.

These are unprecedented times but together, we are stronger, and the response is coming from communities across the country.

Volunteer groups are springing up to tackle the logistical problems faced in our communities – but they need urgent support. That's where we come in.