Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??

Subject: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Claire M
Date: 13 Aug 13 - 02:31 PM

Hiya,

Lots of you know my situation so no point bringing it up again.

Where I/we live (I don't want to put the name but it's obviously a residential home, & it's in England ….. that narrows it down!) I/we get scant entertainment cos we don't have a budget for it, & when we do it's something none of us want. Most of the people here have trouble speaking, – or are unable to at all -- can't leave the place/do anything by themselves, which must get pretty boring (thank god my body ½ works)

Me & my Consort love unaccompanied singing – think Melrose Quartet or Steeleye or anything similar. He has trouble speaking I love blues too, (done wrote my own) & were I to hear either here I would most likely die of happiness.

True story; a choir came here at Xmas & sang 'Gaudete' at my req. cos they knew it was my fav, by my lifelong fav band. I was impressed they even knew it at all! They had to "la la la" the verses cos they didn't have them w/ them, but it was one of the best things I'd ever seen/heard, & I still light up when I think of it. (Heard from a member of staff that they did a 20min+ version. I missed it cos me being a div I thought the next concert they were doing was also here, & they were all asking where that lady was who loves it so much!)

As good as this type of thing was/is it doesn't happen nearly often enough.

My dad knows a folk band slightly, Ragged Staff, but he thinks they'd be too expensive, which is a shame cos what I heard of them was really good.

I know some of you are in bands – would some of you be willing to play for us for free, a couple of times a yr if we think you're good??

I'd love to meet some of you, that would enable me to do that, too.

If/when I get any "yes"-es I'll PM address & details.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 13 Aug 13 - 03:14 PM

Well, I hate not being paid (I'll get that out of the way straight away!). Doesn't need to be money, but free beer and me taxi home is great. We caved in and played at a local care home last Christmas Eve. It was lovely but there was no pay, and it was a couple of hours away from the folks on Christmas Eve. Thing is, the home gets five or six hundred quid a week for each resident and they pay their staff a bloody pittance for clearing up sick and piss and wiping old people's bums. Someone there simply has to be doing quite well out of it, and it ain't the staff, some of whom have to work nights, and it wasn't us. Still, Christmas spirit and all that and we came away feeling good about it. Thing about us folkies is that we're used to doing weddings and parties and going home, after having abandoned the family for hours on a Saturday afternoon and evening, with thirty or forty quid each if we're lucky, then we see the DJ with his rubbish sound system and free downloads getting six hundred. Regard this as a scattergun and unfocussed post, which it is, but do have a little think before you ask people to play for nowt, "if you think we're good". And, true, I don't know your situation, but good luck anyway.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 13 Aug 13 - 03:14 PM

Well, I hate not being paid (I'll get that out of the way straight away!). Doesn't need to be money, but free beer and me taxi home is great. We caved in and played at a local care home last Christmas Eve. It was lovely but there was no pay, and it was a couple of hours away from the folks on Christmas Eve. Thing is, the home gets five or six hundred quid a week for each resident and they pay their staff a bloody pittance for clearing up sick and piss and wiping old people's bums. Someone there simply has to be doing quite well out of it, and it ain't the staff, some of whom have to work nights, and it wasn't us. Still, Christmas spirit and all that and we came away feeling good about it. Thing about us folkies is that we're used to doing weddings and parties and going home, after having abandoned the family for hours on a Saturday afternoon and evening, with thirty or forty quid each if we're lucky, then we see the DJ with his rubbish sound system and free downloads getting six hundred. Regard this as a scattergun and unfocussed post, which it is, but do have a little think before you ask people to play for nowt, "if you think we're good". And, true, I don't know your situation, but good luck anyway.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Uncle Tone
Date: 13 Aug 13 - 03:42 PM

I live in a sheltered/care home in York, UK (Old York).

We have an entertainment budget. Occasionally singers of mediocre talent come in, and get paid, for rushing through a few well-known party songs. It is usually nowt better than karaoke but it keeps the ancient and less mobile residents happy.

I could do much better messen, and have done on occasions in impromptu sessions when I'm bored.

Many years ago I was part of a couple of groups who used to get paid for doing such gigs.

My question is, who's getting your entertainment budget? And if you haven't got one, why haven't you?

Tone

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: a gud ole bwoy
Date: 13 Aug 13 - 04:01 PM

I think it would be fair to give us some idea of how far we'd have to travel. So a county might be a good start before we say yes.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 Aug 13 - 04:30 PM

Try a PM agob - Clare IS a member

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: GUEST,eldergirl
Date: 13 Aug 13 - 09:45 PM

Within shout of Bedfordshire I reckon, as that's where Ragged Staff are based.
2 companions and I sang at a club for disabled people a couple of weeks ago, and they paid us, which was nice (though not a huge sum) and we all had a great time, which was nicer. So go for it if you love singing and sharing songs with others. Take folk back to the folk, etc.
We are within shout of Bedfordshire, too.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Mo the caller
Date: 14 Aug 13 - 04:23 AM

Our dance club did a set at a care home where one of our ex-members was living.
he was delighted but I don't know what anyone else thought of it.
I got the impression that they'd all been wheeled in and plonked down to watch whether they wanted or not.
One chap was telling us to 'do something lively, they don't want all that' - all very well but we do what we'd practised.
One magic moment. Jim did a clog dance someone who had been sat with head down came and stood beside him (head still fixed downward) and copied his steps.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: IanC
Date: 14 Aug 13 - 04:31 AM

Claire

Get in touch with me. I live in Ashwell, Herts. We have a folkie band and one or two individual performers who might well be glad to help once or twice. Also some other kinds of folk entertainment.

:-)
Ian

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: GUEST,PeterC
Date: 14 Aug 13 - 10:27 AM

My wife and I do lots of residential care homes. We do not like playing for nothing (for same reasons as other posters) and typically get about £30 between us, which covers travelling, PLI, strings and general wear and tear! All of the homes do have a modest entertainment budget, and usually also employ an Activities Coordinator to organise things.
It is very enjoyable, we mostly play traditional country dance tunes (Bobby Shafto, Quebec, etc) with a few soppy sentimental tunes for them to join in with, hum along to. We also have a box of shakers, maracas etc for them to beat along with. If they ask us for a tune we do not know and cannot fake, we learn it for next time. You also usually get a cup of tea and a slice of cake! In the break, or after the performance, we chat to the residents - this is much appreciated.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Murpholly
Date: 14 Aug 13 - 01:07 PM

We have done lots of gigs in care homes of all sorts and the last home we did paid us - so we promptly put the money in their donations box. We are willing to travel distances and whilst mainly folk can play and sing other stuff too. Contact us and we will do our best.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: a gud ole bwoy
Date: 14 Aug 13 - 02:32 PM

Leadfinger I appreciate the comment and will PM Clare but I'm still not in favour of saying yes before I know how far we'll have to travel, as indicated in the last line of the original post.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 14 Aug 13 - 08:58 PM

Claire, while it is true that lots of us know your situation, for those who don't you might post about it briefly when it is relevant to your message just to bring everyone up to speed.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Clontarf83
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 02:38 AM

I do one pro bono at a residence per month, and I have mixed feelings on it.

The original intent was to "give something back" etc, but I do not want to undermine musicians who make a living. I also don't want to have the organization pocket the profits instead of having a reasonable entertainment budget.

I also wanted to offer an alternative to 1930s party songs---there is a new generation starting to appear in the homes. Staff tell me they have found that the folk music works great for residents who want a quieter, calmer environment.

Overall I am happy to do it, especially when I see smiles on faces--but I would limit it to avoid undermining other folk artists.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 04:06 AM

Some of my friends and I do quite a lot of Day Centre and Care home gigs in Edinburgh. We all met through going to Scots Music Group's (SMG) excellent classes, from which many firm friendships and musical collaborations have originated. Our parent organisation has been through some financial tribulations, so any money we raise goes to SMG and not into our own pockets, by agreement with all playing. As Tone says, most of these places have entertainment budgets, if not able to pay commercial rates (we are all amateurs anyway).
We have a programme of tunes and songs, and also take song sheets along, so that more folk can join in: and we ask in advance if there are any particular favourites they want done. (Had to learn Mountains of Mourne for an Irish lady!)
Sorry we are too far away for Claire M.

We also incidentally do official busking around various Farmers' Markets in the area, and some gigs for City of Edinburgh Council events. Again, any money raised goes to SMG funds; even those players who travel some distance have declined any fuel expenses. ( the one exception being a trip to play in Ayr, 70 miles each way).

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: GUEST,PeterC
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 05:24 AM

Quite a lot about playing for free HERE

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: kendall
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 06:12 AM

Jacqui and I would do it, but 3000 miles is a bit far to travel.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 07:50 AM

The original intent was to "give something back" etc, but I do not want to undermine musicians who make a living.

That's my feelings too. In addition, it sort of depends on who's asking. If it's because we contain mums and/or dads and we play at our local school concert, that's great. My missus works as a volunteer (as everyone else there does) for a organisation for people with dementia. Their funds are extremely limited and I don't mind doing stuff for them. But a care home is a business, just like a pub or a club is a business. Us playing in care homes improves their business. If you work for a business and help to improve that business by so doing, you should expect to be paid. It's all time away from home and instruments have to be bought, replaced, restrung, etc., and petrol paid for. The undermining point is also very important. Round here, a band which asks for a pretty reasonable fee for a gig is often confronted with the claim that the blokes who played here last week did it for nothing/a lot less than you're asking. One often scratches one's head at the thought that a DJ on his own could rake in five or six hundred quid without demur.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 09:05 AM

Of course these days schools tend to be treated as, and often enough run as "businesses". And some care homes are genuine charities.

Even when the management are screwing the system and the residents, I don't think making a stand on principle and refusing to play is the right way.

Going too far down the road of making the music a business isn't what it's all about.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 09:39 AM

I have no problem with genuine charities. Most care homes are not such beasts. As for schools, any school that was operating for profit is a school I wouldn't even set foot in. Most of the rest do their best on very difficult budgets. I was a teacher in state schools for 25 years, by the way. I'm not interested in making my music-making into a "business" or anything like it, but we have to make sure we don't drag down those who are trying to make a living out of it by parading ourselves as cheapies.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 09:57 AM

I think there's a misunderstanding here. Claire isn't asking allcomers to do a random unpaid gig at a random care home as Steve's points about business principles seem to imply. Instead, she's hoping to find some catter musicians who might be willing to bring their music to the home where she stays. And surely this kind of giving and sharing is part of the heart of a community however widely scattered in space. Which suddenly makes me wonder about the chances for skyping a music session or some songs?

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: maeve
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 10:05 AM

Nicely put, GUEST, Guest.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: sciencegeek
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 10:19 AM

"We also have a box of shakers, maracas etc for them to beat along with."

As an aside, there are studies out now that seem to show a positive effect for dementia patients if they can do some percussion activities. Keeps some of the brain synapses properly functioning.

I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to ask if the home could defray expenses or pay outright... on the other hand, maybe that $ would be used to provide different entertainment for other residents.

Too many variables to apply one set of standards for all situations.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 10:33 AM

Sciencegeek, I think this started as an invitation
To play at Claire's carehome, not as a general
discussion of principles in the abstract. Of course
People are free to take any thread in any direction
they wish, but some directions make a warmer
community than others....
It would be so nice if some of the great heartedness
in some of those threads below the line bubbled up
here. I for one would be very happy if this thread
gained a post someday from someone who'd
visited Claire with their musical partners
and shared some music. I will be on wait and see for that
myself, and if I were a performer, I would be
Planning the logistics of a Skype concert.

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 Aug 13 - 12:43 PM

Yep, threads can wander about a bit, and I did say by way of caveat that I didn't know her situation. So I repeat - good luck to her!

Subject: RE: Anyone fancy an unpaid care home gig ??
From: banjoman
Date: 03 Oct 13 - 06:41 AM

Claire - Maggie & I have played for years at care homes, sunshine clubs etc. etc. Most of those have at least covered our costs in travel etc. However, because we regard (most) mudcatters as friends we have not yet met. we would willingly help you if we were a bit closer (Hampshire). I think you probably have a lot of friends here, so hopefully someone can help. Check out the points made above about an entertainment budget as I know most homes have one.
Pete