MusicalInstrumentsForAsylumSeekers

Musical Instruments for Asylum Seekers

GWUC has been agreed to act as a drop-off centre for a program of collecting unwanted musical instruments for use in music teaching programs in immigration detention centres, in our case, Maribyrnong and MITA (Melbourne Immigration Transit Accomodation) Broadmeadows.

Details of the program are available as a video of an SBS-TV news broadcast from mid-February, and as an ABC Radio broadcast. More information was reported in various local papers, including Jewish News and independent Australia

NeilSkilton has agreed to act as contact, hold the instruments, and take them to the centres when appropriate.

All members of the congregation are invited to donate instruments to this cause. Please contact either the ChurchOffice or Neil. Instruments in good working order are appreciated.

Some specific questions and answers from Philip Feinstein about the position are:

• Are we to do the advertising, or is that done by you/others?
  • All the promotions would come from me. I seems to have a knack in networking - that worked very well in Sydney. Like I did in Sydney, I also intend to let the media know about it. ABC-TV is currently following my progress. That said, any assistance in letting people know would always be appreciated.
• What numbers do you expect?
  • Sydney began slowly (as did Darwin), but it eventually evened out at around 2/3 instruments per week, mainly guitars. I doubt that storage will be an issue.
• How often would the forwarding be done? Car boot full? Trailer load? Moving van?
  • How often is up to you. I would suggest once every 3/4 weeks. I think you will find that a car (boot and back seat) will suffice.
• Are you looking for us to do the transport to the centres?
  • Yes. However, should anyone want to donate a piano, I shall arrange delivery from the donor direct to the detention centre.