What is the Guitar Social?

We specialise in teaching guitar to isolated and vulnerable communities, using the guitar as a kind of magical tool through which we can address some prominent social needs. By putting a group of people in a room together and showing them how to make music we reduce isolation, promote inclusion, punctuate an often trying and difficult week and ultimately redirect people into new settings where confidence is risen and self esteem soars. In no place is this more clear than our work with blind communities. We have Mary, a 97 year old student who played her first gig last month having discovered guitar twelve months ago and some visually impaired learners with complex mental health needs that are finding a voice and a new community through music. 

How does Crowdfunder come into this?

Now we've turned to Crowdfunder to try something new and help us continue our important work. We're going to teach for 24 hours. This will be an official attempt which will be adjudicated by Guinness World Records™

We're aiming to raise £24,000 for our 24-hour marathon, and we need your help. We can't wait to have you along for the ride.

What will the money be spent on?

£24000 will enable us to buy 200 guitars which we will give away to vulnerable client groups and provide each of those people with 20 hours of class tuition. The guitars will go to young people, people fighting homelessness, those suffering with ill mental health, refugee communities and visually impaired and blind people. 

We have been running these courses for some time and the results have been proven and incredible. We're now ready to reach more. So we're asking for £24000. One thousand for every hour taught in the 24 hour challenge. 

Tell us more about your learners...

All of our learners experience challenges in their musical development. One of our learners for example, had little to no sensation in his hands, couldn't see and was deaf in one ear. He told us 'My guitar class is my new family'. We have worked with clients that have been desperately ill and still managed to get to their class. In acknowledgement of the challenges our learners have faced, I recently broke the world record for the worlds longest ever guitar class. A challenge in exchange for a challenge seemed fair!

The Pledges