Do you have an instrument that just sits in your house, day after day, having not been played in years? 

A student-led initiative, ‘AccessMusic’, is currently in the process of launching a new scheme whereby people can donate these old instruments to an ‘instrument library’ where young aspiring musicians in the local community can take them out free of charge. 

Instrument libraries are an increasingly popular concept across the UK (one such library resides in the University of York), following in the footsteps of more famous schemes like the Community Fridge Network; aiming to improve affordability in a country struggling under the weight of economic crisis. 

Taking inspiration from this idea, students have begun working on their own library. Should it become a success, there may be an opportunity for the scheme to branch out across the Island. But for that to happen, they need your donations. 

But why do we need such a system in the first place? The answer is simple: in our current day and age, the education system simply isn’t providing children with substantial musical opportunities – especially in deprived areas. 

Ofsted said in their 2023 report on UK music education that “there is a clear divide between children and young people whose families can afford to pay for music tuition and those who come from lower socio-economic backgrounds” (‘Striking the right note: the music subject report’; Ofsted, 2023).  

This ‘divide’ is the very problem this new scheme is attempting to address. 

When I spoke with local students on the topic, they had very similar things to say. One such student told me that they believed “easy access to instruments and music is extremely valuable, especially nowadays with the rising poverty in the UK”; and another said very much the same, in that this system would be “invaluable in a place like the Island, due to the high percentage of deprivation” 

They also mentioned that this opportunity for greater musical education “could really benefit [the students] general wellbeing” - a theme that was largely corroborated by my discussions with other students. Ella Martin, 16, told me about her personal experience with learning music, and the benefits that she believes it can bring for young people: “it improves coordination, enhances memory, boosts creativity, and reduces stress”. 

Student Erin Wynn, 17, also referred to the scheme as “an opportunity to explore a creative skill that they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to obtain without a system like this.”. 

An instrument library seems like a great way to engage young people in such an enriching activity; and may even lead to lifelong inspiration and learning as a result. 

With the help of the Island community, AccessMusic hopes to play its part in paving the way for a future of easy and affordable music access for all. 

If you would like to donate your instruments or have any queries, head over to the AccessMusic Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558999228931&sk=about), where more information will be uploaded in the coming days and weeks.