What is the Marc Bolan
School of Music?
The Marc Bolan School of Music is being built in Makeni, Sierra Leone, and aims to ‘give every child the chance to dance’ as part of Marc’s already huge and wonderful legacy. The brainchild of his partner Gloria Jones and their son Rolan Bolan, it will provide children who have been orphaned by the civil war, rescued from blood diamond mines or suffered through the Ebola crisis with a safe and inspiring environment in which they can learn skills that will help equip them for a more promising and happier future. We hope to create a motivating environment in which they will be nurtured by their teachers, find confidence in their knowledge and abilities, and feel a true sense of well-being and community with their fellow students through fun and teamwork, allowing them to grow not just as musicians, but as people. Marc Bolan understood the priceless value of music and fun in people’s lives, and with your help to raise funds, we’ll be able to provide that to a whole new generation of children who live very difficult lives.
The Marc Bolan School of Music is being built in Makeni, Sierra Leone, and aims to ‘give every child the chance to dance’ as part of Marc’s already huge and wonderful legacy. The brainchild of his partner Gloria Jones and their son Rolan Bolan, it will provide children who have been orphaned by the civil war, rescued from blood diamond mines or suffered through the Ebola crisis with a safe and inspiring environment in which they can learn skills that will help equip them for a more promising and happier future. We hope to create a motivating environment in which they will be nurtured by their teachers, find confidence in their knowledge and abilities, and feel a true sense of well-being and community with their fellow students through fun and teamwork, allowing them to grow not just as musicians, but as people. Marc Bolan understood the priceless value of music and fun in people’s lives, and with your help to raise funds, we’ll be able to provide that to a whole new generation of children who live very difficult lives.
What made us want
to help?
We both first heard about the School after discovering Marc Bolan and his music in 2014 through the musical ‘20th Century Boy’ and searching for more information on his life and work. Already his music has brought us so much joy, friendship and – since our involvement in the work of the School – an incredible feeling of motivation and purpose. We’ve gained so much already simply by accidentally stumbling on a musician we didn’t know much about before, and it just goes to show what an effect music can have. Hannah is studying Psychology in the hope of becoming an Educational Psychologist, so she believes very strongly in the importance of a good education, like the School will provide in Makeni. Claire, who has spent her life learning to play various instruments and left university in 2014 with both a Bachelors and Masters degree in Music, feels passionately about its ability to provide joy, comfort, community spirit, no end of transferable skills, and to just generally make the world a brighter place. Together, and with the help of the School fundraising committee, we hatched a plan to raise funds, and the Bolan Walk was born. We love Marc, and we care enormously about the School and the children it will help. We really do hope Marc’s fans will want to support us on this crazy quest to make a difference in the world in his name!
We both first heard about the School after discovering Marc Bolan and his music in 2014 through the musical ‘20th Century Boy’ and searching for more information on his life and work. Already his music has brought us so much joy, friendship and – since our involvement in the work of the School – an incredible feeling of motivation and purpose. We’ve gained so much already simply by accidentally stumbling on a musician we didn’t know much about before, and it just goes to show what an effect music can have. Hannah is studying Psychology in the hope of becoming an Educational Psychologist, so she believes very strongly in the importance of a good education, like the School will provide in Makeni. Claire, who has spent her life learning to play various instruments and left university in 2014 with both a Bachelors and Masters degree in Music, feels passionately about its ability to provide joy, comfort, community spirit, no end of transferable skills, and to just generally make the world a brighter place. Together, and with the help of the School fundraising committee, we hatched a plan to raise funds, and the Bolan Walk was born. We love Marc, and we care enormously about the School and the children it will help. We really do hope Marc’s fans will want to support us on this crazy quest to make a difference in the world in his name!
Why a music school?
Music isn’t just about entertainment. It has an almost magical ability to stir emotions, to comfort, to educate, to communicate, and to make people happy. It encourages expression of thoughts and feelings, making it a cathartic, healing experience for those who need it to be. It draws people together as a community, whether they be simply listening or actively taking part in creating it. To learn music and songwriting involves all kinds of other skills – numeracy, literacy, teamwork, communication, persistence, attention to detail… There are countless benefits, and all the while it gives its students joy and purpose.
Music isn’t just about entertainment. It has an almost magical ability to stir emotions, to comfort, to educate, to communicate, and to make people happy. It encourages expression of thoughts and feelings, making it a cathartic, healing experience for those who need it to be. It draws people together as a community, whether they be simply listening or actively taking part in creating it. To learn music and songwriting involves all kinds of other skills – numeracy, literacy, teamwork, communication, persistence, attention to detail… There are countless benefits, and all the while it gives its students joy and purpose.
So why not do this
in the UK?
The children in Makeni have lived through difficulties, struggles and sadness which most of us would not even like to imagine, and will never have to deal with ourselves. Over in the UK we live safely and happily, with a strong education system, and do not have to be in want of the things we need. Provision for musical education isn’t quite perfect, but it is good, and growing. In Sierra Leone, we have the opportunity to provide for children who have very little, who are so keen to learn, and who really deserve something that will bring them happiness, purpose and the skills for a better future. They are all so excited for the School to be built and will treasure the joy, community and opportunities it will bring them. We’ve also heard that other communities hope to build similar schools in time, and are encouraged in the knowledge that this is a project that is really, truly wanted. Maybe in future we will have the funds and interest to start a school in the UK as well, but for now we are beginning with the children of Makeni, to whom it will make an amazing difference.
The children in Makeni have lived through difficulties, struggles and sadness which most of us would not even like to imagine, and will never have to deal with ourselves. Over in the UK we live safely and happily, with a strong education system, and do not have to be in want of the things we need. Provision for musical education isn’t quite perfect, but it is good, and growing. In Sierra Leone, we have the opportunity to provide for children who have very little, who are so keen to learn, and who really deserve something that will bring them happiness, purpose and the skills for a better future. They are all so excited for the School to be built and will treasure the joy, community and opportunities it will bring them. We’ve also heard that other communities hope to build similar schools in time, and are encouraged in the knowledge that this is a project that is really, truly wanted. Maybe in future we will have the funds and interest to start a school in the UK as well, but for now we are beginning with the children of Makeni, to whom it will make an amazing difference.
And if you still want some more convincing...
...please have a read of this inspiring message from Jed Dmochowski, Director of The Light of Love Foundation UK, the charitable organisation working to build the Marc Bolan School of Music, here :)
...please have a read of this inspiring message from Jed Dmochowski, Director of The Light of Love Foundation UK, the charitable organisation working to build the Marc Bolan School of Music, here :)