Lord Robert Winston

Event at Canterbury Cathedral to discuss project that looked at how singing and music can help mental health

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Those suffering with mental health problems can benefit by singing, according to new research.

The Octavia Project was put together by the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT).

Using EU Grundtvig funding, it sent staff to speak with counterparts in Spain and Slovenia, and hosted a visit to Kent.

After two years of multiple trips a conference is being held to assess findings.

Television presenter Lord Robert Winston - chairman of the Royal College of Music, and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences - is to deliver a keynote speech at Canterbury Cathedral during a conference on the project on Thursday, May 17.

Attending will be representatives from many of the partners involved to develop a best practice guide to implementing singing and music as a wellbeing strategy.

Groups from the UK involved have been Sing for Your Life and the Kent-based Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Music, Arts and Health.

Key staff from countries including Finland, Italy, Slovenia and Spain have been involved.

The project has focused on the health and well-being benefits of music, particularly for those with mental health issues.

The conference will be an opportunity to influence national and local funders and commissioners of music and the arts as therapy, and KMPT hopes this will ensure ongoing support for the services.

KMPT said: “The demand for mental health services is increasing at a higher rate than that of the general population.

“It is currently estimated one in 100 people suffer from a severe mental illness, but this is rising. There has been a huge increase in mental health clients over recent years and by 2016 there will be over 1,700 extra people known to us with a severe mental illness.”