The OHMI Trust - Birmingham

Brian C.

OHMI has helped me with inspiration and hope and practically through access to the instrument hire scheme. This scheme enables you to hire an adapted instrument for a year at a fraction of the cost of buying - which means you can take time to explore different options at very low risk!

Also worth knowing that as well as working with children and schools, OHMI supports anyone with physical impairments who wants to play an instrument - and it's great to have access to OHMI's help, experience and expertise.

Stuart B.

For many years now we have been working with the OHMI Trust. Seeing the children being able to access authentic instruments alongside their peers is very rewarding. We have many pupils here at Services For Education that receive instrumental lessons from one of our OHMI specialist teachers and many have progressed into our Area and Central Ensemble system. One pupils is a member of Orchestras For All. We are hugely grateful for the work that the OHMI Trust do and long may our collaboration continue.

Clare S.

Can't say enough in praise of how well The OHMI Trust have supported me and my student access an adapted instrument to enable her to learn to play clarinet, despite her upper limb difference. The organisation's interest in its beneficiaries at an individual level, as well as its focus on pioneering new developments to improve music-making for people with physical disabilities, is deeply impressive.

Sascha H.

Their instrument hire scheme has been so useful - helping provide an instrument that my daughter was really interested in, giving us a chance to rent rather than the massive outlay that would have been needed to buy, and being there to help answer questions and troubleshoot. A fantastic scheme.

Wolverhampton M. S.

OHMI is a much needed organisation that provides valuable support to children and young people with an upper limb disability. They are so easy to work with and work in true partnership with the child's needs at the heart of everything they do. Our initial work identified a number of young people in the city who needed this support. They make musical learning possible for some children and families who may have thought their child could never play a musical instrument. What a gift to give!

Beth H.

OHMI have provided amazing support for my daughter who is blind and a braillist. She wanted to learn an instrument so she could play socially in a group so needed to be able to read with one hand. She is loving learning a specially adapted one handed clarinet. Wonderful organisation doing brilliant work.

Geoff T.

The OHMI Trust have been a great help to one of our trombone players, who has reduced mobility, to continue playing with the aid of their floor stand.

sophie G.

OHMI are an incredible and unique organisation. They are passionately dedicated to providing and facilitating musical opportunities for many children/young people who would just not have those opportunities otherwise. SFE Music have been working in partnership with OHMI for the past 5 years and they have enabled us to provide lessons, instruments and opportunities for many young people. They provide heavily subsidised 1 to 1 lessons for young people with physical disabilities, primarily in mainstream settings, all of whom would not have those opportunities otherwise. OHMI also hold annual international competition for accessible instruments and ran a pioneering international 2 day conference in 2019, bringing together musicians, academics, teachers, students, instrument specialists, tech specialists, music hubs and more to explore, discuss, reflect upon the accessibility of music education, instruments and opportunities for disabled children/young people. They work tirelessly for their cause and we are very proud to be partnered with them!