TheAmberTrust

At The Amber Trust, we believe that visual impairment and other disabilities should not prevent children and young people accessing appropriate musical opportunities. The Amber Trust was founded in 1995 with the aim to provide blind and partially sighted children, including those with additional disabilities, the best possible chance to meet their musical needs and aspirations.

We have grown to become the only national charity dedicated to supporting visually impaired children with their musical development and education. We aim to enhance the lives of as many of the 25,000 visually impaired children in the UK as possible through music, and to promote high quality music provision.

For some children, learning to play an instrument or to sing can add immeasurably to their lives. With the right encouragement, these children can develop their talents to remarkable ends, breaking down barriers, promoting social inclusion and helping to fulfil their potential as individuals and musicians.

The Amber Trust provides grants to children for:

• Music lessons
• Instruments
• Specialised equipment
• Concert tickets
• Accommodation and travel for music related activities

Amber also runs direct music services for families with a visually impaired child aged 0-5 (Little Amber) and aged 5-18 with complex needs (AmberPlus). These services aim to help families and professionals gain the confidence and resources to engage with their blind child through music.

We work with other charities to raise awareness of the value of music for these visually impaired children. We fund research into the impact of music and develop materials to help support the musical development of children. Through research, we know that music has the power to influence change in so many aspects of a child’s life: change that can last a lifetime.