London Mayor launches instrument amnesty

Boris Johnson launches new campaign to get more young people involved in music

London Mayor Boris Johnson has set up the 'No Strings Attached' Scheme in partnerships with GLA and London entertainment publication Time Out .  No Strings Attached is a musical instrument amnesty as part of a bigger drive to get more young Londoners involved in music, get children off the streets, and to help fight knife crime with music.

Munira Mirza the Mayor’s Director of Culture Policy said "There must be hundreds of musical instruments – from violins to recorders, trumpets to guitars – gathering dust in homes and attics....We believe they could be put to far better use by our young people, which is why we have set up the No Strings Attached scheme"

They are calling on people to donate their musical instruments and sheet music, no matter how unloved or overused, so that more young people across London have the opportunity to learn an instrument. It’s all about improving music education in the capital and, in the longer term, and encouraging all those involved in teaching music – be it rock or classical, rap or jazz – to work together and get more young people participating and learning.

The Mayor said: ‘I can think of no better place than London, with our world-class facilities and thriving live scene to engage young people in music.’

Do you want to make a difference? If you've got an old, once loved, instrument lying around - anything from a violin to a sackbut - then pledge it to the 'No Strings Attached' campaign. The first person to donate an instrument was world famous cellist Julian Lloyd Webber.

For more information or to donate an instrument visit:

W: www.timeout.com/competition/donateaninstrument