The Song Remains the Same

A quick update on how things are in the world of Tang Hall SMART, with firstly a little review of the highlights of last term, and then fast-forward to this term.

Last term: We provided education for 26 students on our full-time accredited programmes, taught a further 16 on smaller programmes, delivered music/drama community clubs and activities (via Musication, Kickstart, Flourish@Tang Hall SMART, Give it a Go Jo) to more than 30, and added to our staff team so that there are now 25 of us – which means there are just under 100 of us attending every week on site (and additional people attending Zoom sessions). We are very pleased indeed with this, as it is a vast improvement on the previous term, where less than half of this number were able to attend.

The aim has been to keep things as Covid-safe as we can, whilst juggling the educational rights and wellbeing needs of our participants – but although it seemed like a challenge at times, we completed the term unscathed, and signed off in style, with a magnificent concert, live-streamed on our Facebook page, and watched by 800 people. As usual, everyone was superb, every single performer, and all the staff who helped make this a night to remember! (The pictures on this page are all from the concert).

Christmas seems far away now – but we all needed that break, I think. I do hope you all had a really great time, and recharged your batteries, which we certainly needed to do at Tang Hall SMART, because the same challenges exist for us, as before, with Covid-safety on the one hand, and ‘getting on with life, education, and just doing enough of the good stuff to have a good time' on the other!

This is our first week of full delivery, and it is lovely to see everyone again. The studying continues, the activities continue, we have two concerts booked in for March, and it feels very much like business as usual.

Which brings me to my title which you may well have clocked as the name of a Led Zeppelin sound-track album …. Whilst not being a particular fan of the band (although I know several of the staff team are, heavy rockers all of them) – I like the sentiment here, as we do pretty much always dance to the same tune, and music does always echo on, and I rather like that fact, that whatever else changes or is uncertain, we can rely on music to sustain and inspire us!

Sue