Cloth Cat was established in 1999 to promote the advancement of education and training in the arts, in particular in music. Our service is steered towards people from disadvantaged areas who could not afford private lessons, and is open to disabled people including those with learning disabilities and mental health problems as well as the general population in order to promote integration and tackle stigma. Music enables people to express themselves in alternative ways and to become emotionally fulfilled – important, for example, for teenagers who struggle with formal learning and feel excluded. People improve their self-confidence from being in these social settings with like-minded people, learn team-work and new skills, or re-activate dormant skills which can lead to employment and volunteering. We deliver music based education classes, workshops in NHS mental health facilities, provide volunteering opportunities, hire musical equipment and run inclusive gigs, festivals and open mic nights.