Hello!
We are Step Up MCR, the charity unleashing the unlimited potential of people in North Manchester through the power of local giving.
We are proudly hosting and match funding Drywave CIC's 'Beyond Music' Crowdfunder campaign, but we need your help to reach our £20,000 target.
About 'Beyond Music'
'Beyond Music' is an exciting new project supporting North Manchester's young people to achieve purpose-driven lifestyles away from drugs and alcohol.
Located at Drywave's North Manchester studio at The Resonance Centre's health and wellbeing hub, the project will work with a minimum of 45 young people aged 18-30 from the local area over six months, offering a person-centred holistic approach to addiction recovery.
'Beyond Music' will be implemented through workshops promoting healthier and happier lifestyles, combining music production and personal training with mentoring and skills development. Young people on the project will be supported to identify their passions and goals, with the guidance from Drywave and its partners to achieve them.
Music Production:
- Participants will learn everything from song writing and composition, to recording and sound design, to mixing and mastering.
- Music workshops will be based in Drywave's purpose-built production suite, giving people all of the equipment and expert advice they need to thrive.
- Young people will be coached by DJ, rapper and music producer Ben Riley, Drywave Founder and Co-Director, along with other expert facilitators.
- The project will link into Drywave's sober dance events, connecting young people with a huge network of like-minded friends.
Physical Health & Wellbeing:
- The link between physical and mental health will be promoted throughout the project. Participants will be supported to create bespoke personal training plans with their interests and goals in mind. Delivery will include HIIT, strength training, running, swimming, cold water challenges, breathwork and yoga, depending on young people's interests.
- Young people will be coached by personal trainer Will Power, Drywave Co-Director.
- The project will take place at The Resonance Centre in Clayton to support health and wellbeing outcomes. Weekly activities include yoga, mindfulness, dance, fitness, drumming, a weekly sober rave, and much more.
- At the end of the 8 weeks, young people will celebrate their successes and new friendships at a trip to The Farm Club, a unique healthy lifestyle hub set within 300 acres of Cheshire countryside. Here they will enjoy running, swimming and cold water lake dip or ice bath experiences, outdoor fitness training, yoga and sound baths.
Skills & Personal Growth:
- Participants will be mentored by the project team to help them identify strengths, passions and goals. They will be supported to explore future opportunities like skills and development, employment or further education, and community volunteering.
How you can help
To reach our goal, Step Up MCR is match funding your pledges up to a total of £4,000.
Pledge today to make a difference and earn some amazing rewards!
Drywave's Journey So Far
Drywave's founder, Ben Riley, is no stranger to adversity. Diagnosed with reduced lung capacity at 27 years old after battling with addiction, Ben faced a crossroads in his life: continue on a path of destruction, or transform his life for the better. After choosing the latter, Ben has been inspiring others on their own powerful journey to sobriety.
Dedicating himself to working with young people in prisons and pupil referral units, Ben uniquely paired his personal experiences with a vast knowledge for music to pave the way for positive life choices. From here Drywave began to emerge.
Ben’s choice led to the creation of Drywave in 2020. He created a safe and welcoming environment for people in recovery from addiction during an intensely isolating time, with him and his team reaching out to support those who were struggling with relapse during Covid-19.
The Drywave sober community has already made a significant impact on the lives of Manchester residents. Alongside their radio station, podcast, and peer support network, the project hosts regular club events that provide opportunities for budding musicians and artists, while also offering paid roles for young people in event management, security, and more.
Lockdown’s effect on addiction and relapse was monumental.
Lockdown's profound effect on the recovery community and those turning to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism mean this project is needed now more than ever.
37% of people surveyed who identified as being in recovery from an addiction prior to lockdown have experienced a relapse or a re-occurrence of their addictive behaviour since lockdown.
On a national scale, this equates to over two million people in recovery from an addiction experiencing relapse during lockdown.
17% of people surveyed indicated that they are experiencing problems as a result of their increased drinking, relating to work, sleep, money, relationships and also physical withdrawal symptoms. This statistic represents a 30% increase from the year earlier.
The Plan: Transforming Lives
With your support, 'Beyond Music' aims to turn these statistics around.
The 'Beyond Music' project will bring in specialists to facilitate workshops around music production, song writing, personal training, mentoring, education, employment and training, as well as community volunteering.
With a fully-equipped music studio and expert facilitators, 'Beyond Music' will nurture the potential of young individuals, guiding them towards work placements, volunteer positions, community roles, or their own projects.
Founder Ben, says: “Drywave is a sober movement, it’s about riding the wave”. "We don’t want to see the young people in our programmes again. We want them to go off and have a good life and not stay in the recovery system”.
Support Drywave and make a difference
With mental health, social isolation, and poor physical health being significant concerns for young people in the area, 'Beyond Music' has the potential to make a huge positive impact in the community.
The £20,000 target raised through Crowdfunder.co.uk will support a minimum of 45 North Manchester young people aged 18-30 on their sober journey. Funding will cover the costs of specialist facilitators, sound technicians, personal trainers and the use of Drywave's purpose-built studio for six months.
It will also support travel costs to an end of project visit to The Farm Club, a unique healthy lifestyle hub set within 300 acres of Cheshire countryside where young people will enjoy wild swimming and cold water challenges, yoga and mindfulness, and sports and physical activities.
About Step Up MCR
Step Up MCR is the charity unleashing the unlimited potential of people in North Manchester through the power of local giving.
We grow community health and wellbeing projects, just like Drywave, making a real difference to people’s lives so that everybody feels happy, healthy and at home in our city.
Our aim is to build more sustainable and resilient communities by making the most of the people and resources in our places.
We recognise that anybody can step up to make a difference by investing their money, time, energy, resources or skills in their local community.
We can get the wheels turning on brilliant big ideas, offering support with funding and fundraising, development opportunities, volunteers and promotion to enable communities to thrive.
Check out some of the other local projects we're supporting and see our latest Crowdfunder campaigns.
Head to www.stepupmcr.org for more.
Disclaimer: Step Up MCR will continue to work with Drywave to secure the funding needed for the project and will hold funds until the final target is reached.
Should the project not go ahead for any reason, the funding will go back into Step Up MCR's grants allocation to support other local community-led projects operating in Ancoats & Beswick and Clayton & Openshaw. Here are some of the local projects we are supporting: www.stepupmcr.org/projects. Pledges to the project can be refunded on request in this event.