Musicians: Louise Messenger (vocals) Laurence Corns (guitar / vocals)
We returned to Northwick Park Hospital’s Ellington Ward on Monday. Ellington is a closed mental health ward for older adults. It’s a comforting and supportive atmosphere for patients, and we are always received warmly by the staff.
Occupational Therapist Lou had encouraged patients to gather in the communal lounge and everyone was sitting ready in anticipation for a good sing-along with musicians Laurence and Louise.
“They’ve been looking forward to this all morning! So have the staff actually.”
The duo played a beautiful and varied set, offering a mixture of genres and catering to the different moods in the room. The ward staff gave us some suggestions of songs that they knew patients liked. One lady who had been crying at the start of the session stopped crying as Louise and Laurence played her favourite Bob Marley song “Is This Love?”
An Irish gentleman requested Danny Boy. Louise said she wasn’t familiar with it but promised to give it a go. After a quick search online, a jazz / swing version of Danny Boy went down really well, and the Irish gentleman tapped along, mouthing the words – which we took as approval.
“I didn’t know I knew that one! I must have absorbed it unconsciously over the years.”
– Louise Messenger
The staff seemed to really enjoy the music. A student nurse danced for the entire second half of the session. Other members of staff sang along and one nurse made a note of the songs she particularly liked and that seemed to resonate with patients. She told us:
“I’ve just come over to the UK from India, and I’m learning all
about Western Music. This has been great!”
Louise later reflected:
“One lady had been far away for most of the gig but towards the end of the second set started clapping softly after songs and made real eye contact and clasped my hands and said thank you when I went to say goodbye to her. It was lovely to greet each client and say thank you for having us. I think the staff enjoyed it too.”
