Working together in harmony

Leicester-based charity Pedestrian won the Charity and Business Partnership Award, for their partnership with PPL PRS, at the Voluntary Action Leicester (VAL) Awards on 10 November.

The award was presented to a business who works with their local communities and organisations who are dedicated to making the community, and the world, a better place.

Pedestrian is a leading arts and education charity known for music-making, originally starting out as a Turntablism collective.  Since 1998, they have built a strong track record of delivering high quality education, training and outreach projects for young people at risk, vulnerable adults and communities within some of the most deprived areas in Leicester. Using arts and creativity as a vehicle to engage, empower and enrich children and young people’s lives, who experience challenges and disadvantages.

As Pedestrian specialise in music-making, their partnership with PPL PRS was created out of an understanding of music, musicians and supporting new, emerging young artists. After a visit to Pedestrian’s base and visiting young people on their Alternative Education Provision (AEP), PPL PRS decided to become the official sponsor of SoundLab, their music technology course. This funding has been vital in creating a new staff post, AEP Support Assistant who is the pastoral lead for young people as a mentor and ‘safe’ person to discuss any issues they are facing. 

Not only have PPL PRS committed to sponsoring SoundLab for two years, but the partnership goes beyond the financial element. So far, the PPL PRS team have hosted internal fundraising events, and   open mic nights for Pedestrian’s young musicians sharing a platform with the talented musicians working at PPL PRS. Employees were also given volunteering days off work to be a ‘guest artist’ on the outreach project Concept, hosted the 25^th anniversary event, attended an AEP open day speaking to schools about the benefits of the partnership and there is even more activity planned over the coming months which brings together both their shared values to make the community a better place.  

Hema Badger-Mistry, Director at Pedestrian commented on the partnership: “This partnership has already strengthened our charity as we are a small grassroots, community organisation that has been working for 25 years providing free, creative opportunities across the city. As a charity with no core funding, our small but mighty staff team of six work hard to raise the funds and we rely on earned income for our Alternative Education Provision, commissions, grants, trusts & foundations and the generous donations of individuals and companies to make our vital work possible and knowing that PPL PRS have financially committed to us and our work will help us continue to grow enabling us to make a further difference and impact to the communities that we work with ensuring they are given opportunities to participate and thrive.”

Nimira Kassam, People Services Director at PPL PRS congratulated the team at Pedestrian on winning the award: “Everyone here at PPL PRS is delighted for Pedestrian on receiving their VAL Award. It has been such a pleasure working with the team at Pedestrian, and all the young people they support. Our people have seen first-hand the impact our support provides, and the children and young people are such an inspiration, creating fantastic art and music despite being faced with adversity and disadvantage.”