The Spitz
Stories
.
Tales of our mission to spread #LiveMusicForWellbeing.
06th March 2025
A whistle-stop tour of world music (and Sting!)
He is one of the world’s most original and uniquely talented guitarists…
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13th February 2025
Isn’t that a lot of fun?
After much head-scratching and googling, we decided that we could write a song about it…
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20th December 2024
Christmas crackers
A round-up of a week of Spitz sessions in the run-up to Christmas
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06th November 2024
Blue is the best flavour
Our weekly visits to Great Ormond Street continued today as we spent time with kids on Koala, Bear and Kingfisher wards
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31st October 2024
halloween
From among the ghosts and cobwebs that adorned the walls of Bridgeside Lodge came the sounds of……
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24th September 2024
Arts In Care Homes Day – Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir
Celebrating Arts In Care Homes Day with Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir
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09th August 2024
Why Me?
Music is employed as a motivator, as an energiser, to get us feeling good!
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03rd July 2024
Were you ever in Quebec?
We crossed over the wide street of imposing Georgian townhouses to enter the hospital…
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19th June 2024
Roar, not Raawr
We were to visit four wards which we hadn’t been to before…
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10th May 2024
My mam – nonie
Music is magic, and they give that magic to the people who need it most.
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10th May 2024
a week in the life of a spitz musician – marcus bonfanti
This week I have written with a 75 year old, a 7 year old and 15 prison inmates…
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19th March 2024
Stay Another Song…
Before a note was played there was other business to attend to…
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13th March 2024
The Spitz on BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast tell the story of Bridgeside Lodge resident Jackie and her partner Matt
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19th February 2024
A Warm Welcome
They’ve been looking forward to this all morning! So have the staff actually…
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09th February 2024
The Spitz on BBC Radio London
Spitz director Jane Glitre and pianist Arthur Lea on BBC radio London
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29th January 2024
I’m having the time of my life!
As we entered the ward, there was a slightly less busy feel than usual…
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21st December 2023
Winter Solstice 2023
For several years we have celebrated the Winter Solstice at Bridgeside Lodge…
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30th November 2023
A musical journey
Sometimes the best and most memorable gigs happen in unusual settings and when you least expect it…
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29th November 2023
I’ll Go To Bed When You’re Gone
A spark of magic in a throwaway statement…
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06th November 2023
“I’ve already made it”
Today we visited Ellington Ward at Northwick Park Hospital for the second time.
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10th October 2023
He’s actually really good!
Ellington Ward is an acute inpatient mental health ward for older people…
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29th September 2023
A forgotten ward
Marcus played at Bridgeside Lodge on Tuesday, Great Ormond Street Hospital on Wednesday and Northwick Park on Friday…
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21st September 2023
Dinner and a show
The Spitz team were out on the town on Thursday night, after receiving two separate invitations from funders…
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14th September 2023
National Day Of Arts In Care Homes
The National Day of Arts in Care Homes champions arts engagement in care settings and highlights the health and wellbeing benefits for all involved.
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12th September 2023
The Spitz at Great Ormond Street
Our first visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital was a great success!
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22nd August 2023
Adding four strings to your bow
A sunny summer concert in the garden at Bridgeside Lodge
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15th August 2023
The power of the Universe
A powerful and spiritual session at Bridgeside Lodge with Arthur and Melissa.
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06th August 2023
Monday blues
Marcus Bonfanti describes a typical Monday session at Bridgeside Lodge
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31st July 2023
Bookends
A Friday and a Monday session to bookend the weekend at Northwick Park Hospital
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26th July 2023
Eine kleine Nachmittagsmusik
A beautiful summer concert from a string trio in the garden of Bridgeside Lodge
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29th June 2023
The Spitz at Appleby House
Spitz musicians visit the National Activity Providers Association at Appleby House
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21st June 2023
Summer Solstice 2023
Celebrating the longest day of the year with a party in the sun
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09th May 2023
The beauty of fragility
“It is a humbling experience to go from a large concert stage to a care home and I am reminded of the vulnerability of humankind and health and the beauty of fragility.”
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08th May 2023
Raise your glasses
To celebrate the King’s Coronation, the Spitz joined Bridgeside Lodge residents, staff, and visitors for a garden party, live music, and a barbecue.
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28th April 2023
Music – a lifelong companion
“Music can remind us of who we are, reconnecting us with ourselves and a sense of playfulness.”
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27th April 2023
Dust My Broom
“I retuned his guitar to open D tuning so he could fully join in, strumming along and the three of us had a great blues jam together.”
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24th April 2023
Does it run in the family?
“This is the perfect setting – lunch and live music! When are you coming back?”
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22nd April 2023
Green Hands
She smelt the flower and said “I would stay living here for this”
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21st April 2023
Feeling revived
‘Every time I move my body, I feel revived/When I see the moving people, I feel alive’
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18th April 2023
To the place I belong
“Outside the lifts on the second floor” should be a designated and accredited live music venue
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04th April 2023
Learn by doing
Our “Next Generation” initiative aims to introduce young musicians into our work.
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01st April 2023
Don’t forget your head
After we’d finished the song, she looked at me and said ‘I love it, and you love it, I can tell’.
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24th March 2023
I’ve been expecting you…
This is the life of a musician, unexpected surprises…
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21st March 2023
Spring Equinox at Bridgeside Lodge
A special live session at Bridgeside to mark the Spring Equinox.
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10th March 2023
Big stress…express
“When emotions are so hard to express, I can use my songs to eliminate big stress”
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24th February 2023
Authentic grubbiness
Nat describes a typically varied session at Brigeside
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14th February 2023
L is for the way you look at me
“People think that singing at a care home must be tiring and difficult… this couldn’t be further from the truth. It actually fills me with amazing feelings of hope, love and fun!”
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13th January 2023
Word soup
“Song #3 is an upbeat, driving boogie-woogie funk tune about friendship and today the lyrics flowed like an over-filled bowl of hearty word soup”
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13th January 2023
The great leveller
…spoken word has its limits but music has the unique power to transport us through a million places, memories and atmospheres and is accessible to everyone.
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11th January 2023
It’s a need, not a want
“I’m sorry I’m crying but they’re tears of joy”
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10th January 2023
…better than all the rest
“There’s something in me that wanted to express his emotion through my voice, letting him live vicariously through me for a moment.”
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01st January 2023
More historical blogs coming soon…
More historical blogs coming soon…
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16th September 2022
Quantitative research
This is the first time The Spitz has been part of an academic study into the impacts of music on health and wellbeing.
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21st June 2022
Summer Solstice 2022
A sunny concert and BBQ to celebrate the longest day of the year
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27th January 2022
There’s a fire within my soul
There’s so much artistic talent and flair among the wider community of Bridgeside Lodge and we love when it reveals itself.
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27th January 2022
Bright lights and euphoria
“She locks eyes and doesn’t let go and the brief connection we share is brilliant and intense”.
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27th January 2022
Lyrics in your notebook
“As I played, she began to gently rock her body back and forth and gradually move closer to the source of the sound eventually shifting so that her ear was side on to the guitar”
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18th January 2022
As constant as a northern star
“Singing these songs takes me back to my childhood and I feel very happy”
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17th January 2022
Pizzicato is more her style
“It’s a joy to see people who may seem to be fading, suddenly come alive again”
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13th January 2022
Mutually rewarding
“Every time I play at Bridgeside Lodge it feels magical.”
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21st December 2021
Welcoming the dark
Celebrating the longest night of the year in with a garden concert in Bridgeside Lodge
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