This Charity's Work Deserves Your Vote for YWMF

Ever walked past a village hall and heard a choir practicing, or seen a flyer for a local music festival and felt that little buzz of excitement? There’s something special about music bringing people together, and in the rolling hills of the Wolds, one charity is making sure those opportunities are available for everyone. The Yorkshire Wolds Music Foundation, a local arts and music charity, has been quietly creating amazing experiences for young people and the wider community. And it seems their hard work hasn't gone unnoticed, as they’ve recently been nominated for a prestigious award, putting a well-deserved spotlight on their efforts.

What's the big deal about the foundation?

So, what exactly does the Yorkshire Wolds Music Foundation do? Think of them as the friendly neighbourhood champions of all things creative. They are an arts and music charity based in East Yorkshire, and their main goal is to get people involved in music. It's not about creating the next global superstar, though you never know. It’s about giving people, especially young people, the chance to pick up an instrument, sing their hearts out, or just experience live music in a way they might not have before. Their work is a brilliant mix of different activities that cater to all sorts of interests.

The foundation’s calendar is packed with all sorts of things. They organise:

• Competitions: These aren’t scary, high-pressure events. They're fun and friendly competitions designed to give young musicians a goal to work towards and a chance to perform in front of a supportive audience. It’s a fantastic way to build confidence.

• Workshops: These hands-on sessions are a massive part of what they do. They hold workshops in local schools and for the general public, covering everything from singing to learning a new instrument. These workshops are a brilliant way for young people to discover a new passion.

• Community Events: The foundation is all about bringing people together. They host a variety of community events that make music accessible to everyone, creating a real sense of local spirit. These events are often the highlight of the local calendar.

• An Annual Festival: To top it all off, they run an annual festival that showcases incredible talent and celebrates the vibrant arts scene in the Wolds. It’s a culmination of all their hard work throughout the year.

These community events and workshops are vital for nurturing talent and just letting people have a go. It's about taking away the pressure and putting the fun back into the arts, ensuring that every young person in the region has a chance to participate.

Bringing music right into the classroom

Getting young people involved in music isn't always easy. That’s why the foundation is so proactive about working directly with schools. On Monday, September 8, 2025, the charity reached out to local schools with a really clever idea. The proposal was simple but brilliant: a school could hold a non-uniform day to raise money for the foundation. In exchange for the proceeds, the Yorkshire Wolds Music Foundation would come into the school and deliver a whole day of music. How cool is that?

Imagine a normal school day being transformed. Instead of double maths, students could be taking part in interactive music workshops. The assembly hall could host live performances from professional musicians. It’s a fantastic trade. The students get a fun, memorable day completely different from their usual routine, and the money raised goes straight back into a charity that supports creative opportunities for those same young people. This initiative shows how the foundation thinks outside the box to support music education in every local school they can partner with. These workshops are more than just a bit of fun; they can genuinely spark a lifelong interest in the arts for many young people.

A chance to sing with a real composer

The foundation doesn’t just organise its own events; it also brings in amazing artists to share their skills. A perfect example was an event planned for Saturday, October 11th. An announcement went out on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, that the renowned composer Matthew Coleridge was coming to Driffield Methodist Church for a very special day of choral singing. This wasn't a concert where you just sit and listen. It was an interactive recital where anyone, of any age, could take part.

The day was structured to be super inclusive. The morning was set aside for rehearsals, where Matthew Coleridge himself would guide everyone through the music. Then, in the evening, everyone would come together to perform as a huge ensemble, with the composer conducting. What an incredible opportunity! It's not every day that young people, or anyone, for that matter, get to learn from and be conducted by the person who actually wrote the music. These kinds of community events are what make the foundation so special. They create unique, high-quality experiences and make them accessible to the whole community, providing an amazing educational opportunity for young people and families alike.

A nod from the Yorkshire choice awards

After all this incredible work, it’s fantastic to see the foundation getting some recognition. On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, an email was sent out with some brilliant news: The Yorkshire Wolds Music Foundation has been nominated for a Yorkshire Choice Award in the ‘Community Arts’ category. These awards are a pretty big deal in the region. They’re all about celebrating local people and independent organisations who do amazing things for their communities, and the winners are decided by a public vote.

Being nominated is a huge achievement in itself. It shows that people are noticing the positive impact the foundation is having, from its school workshops and exciting competitions to its large-scale community events. It’s a testament to their dedication to making the arts a living, breathing part of life in the Yorkshire Wolds. Now, they need the community’s support to help them win. A vote for them is a vote for every young person who has discovered a love for music through one of their workshops and for every school that has benefited from their creative partnerships. As a wise man once said, "Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." It seems the Yorkshire Wolds Music Foundation would certainly agree.