WITH a change of government comes new ideas, new pledges and a raft of suggested Bills that will soon be made into law.

After 14 years of neglect of any attention to the creative industries, those of us who are passionate about the arts and in particular about encouraging children to take part in all branches of the arts (remember our prime minister is a flautist) one or two pledges about creative subjects in schools have appeared in the King’s speech.

The main ideas are to give support to the creative industries, to improve access to these industries for all, and to implement curriculum changes to support children studying creative subjects at school: “a creative education for every child”. Philanthropic donations could also be diverted away from the capital.

I saw the other day that Gloucester had received large sums of money to conserve the cloisters and to repair its organ.

This money came from the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust, which has given millions to arts organisations.

Smaller cities in more rural locations certainly need grants and donations to their arts scenes and particularly money to help children – not only to study arts subjects but to enjoy and have fun with them, leading to life-long involvement with music, drama, dance and art.

The Hereford Choral Society and the Hereford Gilbert and Sullivan Society are in a drive to encourage young people to join them by offering bursaries to young singers who will receive monetary grant to help with their studies.

The Hereford Music Fund is also another excellent organisation for giving money to underprivileged children for music lessons.

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Let’s hope that the Government will give thought to encouraging all these enterprises rather than the large London ones.

PAMELA WHITE

HEREFORD CHORAL SOCIETY