Woolwich Creative Club exists to ensure that all children have access to high-quality music lessons. Every week the WCC community gather to share food, take part in music tuition, and play together – preparing to share their creative endeavours with friends and family.
The club, which is for invited children and young people aged 10-16, is free – ensuring that money is no barrier to playing and sharing music. It also ensures that children continue playing music when they transfer to secondary, which is important given that music has been cut from many UK schools.
It was co-founded by Woolwich teacher and music fan Sophie Nicol with renowned trumpet player Byron Wallen, whose background includes 1980s originators Jazz Warriors, international touring as a solo artist and with bands including Ethiopiques don Mulatu Astatke – among much else – a turn in Paddington. “I think that music can change the world,” he says, “Woolwich Creative Club is my investment into the future. We want the young musicians to have the power to carry the legacy on.”
The club offers drums, trumpet, guitar, flute and keyboard lessons as well as sessions run by poet Rasheeda Page-Muir. Tuition comes from Byron Wallen and students from Trinity Laban college of music, including members of Burna Boy’s touring band. There’s also a journalism club that makes films, documents activities, and co-wrote this website. WCC are currently partnering with Trinity Laban, Royal Greenwich Music Service, Black Lives in Music and are funded by Youth Music and Royal Borough of Greenwich.