Henley Music School 'back from the brink' and offering bursaries

The school aims to provide lessons to everyone regardless of age, ability, background or means

A charity offering music lessons for children in schools has said it is "back from the brink" and has started offering limited bursaries again.

Last year Henley Music School in Oxfordshire warned the service would come to end without financial support.

Founder Laura Reineke, who started the school about 18 years ago, resigned in August to save it money.

She said she and the trustees had "worked tirelessly" to come up with a future plan.

The school aims to provide lessons to everyone regardless of age, ability, background, or means.

It offers bursaries, subsidies for schools and class music lessons, after school clubs, and the free loan of equipment.

It has since received funding and donations from the Invesco community fund, Souldern Trust, Thamesfield Youth Association, Mosawi Foundation, St Jude's Trust, and local businesses.

Money was also raised from performances and an awards dinner.

Laura Reineke founded Henley Music School about 18 years ago

Ms Reineke said the charity could now "operate on a more even keel" but was "far from out of the woods yet".

Bursar Isobel Harris said: "We are still a long way from our target, and need around £5,000 a month just to survive.

"The trustees have undertaken a financial restructuring exercise and although there is still a long way to go, we are delighted that the charity is once again able to offer a limited number of bursaries for music tuition."

She said the charity had an ongoing programme to continue to raise more funds.

Trustee Rosemary Duckett, of St Jude's Trust, said the trust had been "utterly swamped" with applications for funding, "only awarding a tiny number out of hundreds of applicants".

"We've always supported Henley Music School and are delighted our donation has helped them get back up and running," she said.

The school is still on the lookout for two new trustees to "help grow and protect" the charity.

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