Emeli Sande launches donations drive for music therapy hub in Aberdeen

Scottish soul-pop sensation Emeli Sandé is backing an appeal to open a music therapy centre in her hometown of Aberdeen.

Music therapy charity Nordoff-Robbins in Scotland is looking to raise £20,000 to open the centre which would see the city benefit from a dedicated service to improve the lives of children and adults with limiting illnesses, disability and trauma including autism, dementia and Down's syndrome.

Sandé, whose chart topping hit Next To Me reached number two in the charts, has been a firm supporter of the charity for a number of years.

She said: "Music is unbelievably powerful. It crosses barriers, opens the mind, moves the body and stirs the soul. It changes lives.

“You can therefore imagine how delighted I am to hear that Nordoff Robbins Scotland is hoping to set up a new service in my home city of Aberdeen.

“Hundreds of children and adults in the north-east are living with serious health conditions which make every day a new challenge.

“I know that Nordoff-Robbins Scotland could make a huge difference to their lives."

The charity needs £600,000 each year to operate and currently run bases in Lothians, Glasgow, Stirling, Fife, Tayside, Perth and Kinross.

Charity Fundraising Director, Carolyne Nurse said: "There is a long list of people in Aberdeen whose lives could be transformed for the better through music therapy and the work the charity has done across our four existing service bases is testament to why we feel so strongly about being able to continue to support and develop people across the country."