10 June 2025
Gosport grant helps launch life-changing singing group
The Gosport Community Fund, managed by Community First and made possible by the players of the Gosport Community Lottery, has once again supported an initiative at the heart of the local community. In the latest grant round in April 2025, six organisations received a total of £6,318. One of the recipients was Headway Portsmouth and South East Hampshire which was awarded £1,260 to support its singing group for individuals with brain injuries.
Since the Gosport Community Lottery launched in 2018, the Community Fund has awarded 56 grants totalling over £43,000. These one-off grants are available to local groups and individuals working to improve life in the borough, with the aim of helping good ideas grow and thrive.
When someone experiences a brain injury the effects can be devastating, not just for the individual but also for their family and carers. Since 1986, Headway Portsmouth and South East Hampshire has been supporting people through these life-changing events, offering everything from hospital and home visits to sports therapy, benefit advice and group activities that help rebuild confidence and connection.
Although brain injuries can have a major impact on someone’s ability to communicate, move around or manage day-to-day life, they can go unnoticed by others. It’s often a hidden disability, one that can leave people feeling isolated, frustrated and alone.
With the help of the grant from the Gosport Community Fund, Headway has been able to launch a new singing group in Gosport that’s already proving a hit. Ten members now regularly attend the weekly choir sessions, which are run by two support staff and a choir master.
Jo Dallas, CEO of Headway Portsmouth and South East Hampshire, said: “We asked our members what they’d like to see more of and a singing group came up again and again. Singing has so many proven benefits, from boosting mood to improving memory and speech. Some of our clients struggle to speak but can sing clearly, it’s quite amazing to witness.”
The choir is more than just a music session. It’s a space where people aged anywhere from their 40s to 70s, all living with the shared experience of a brain injury, can feel seen, supported and not alone. The social aspect is just as important as the therapeutic benefits.
Jo added: “Having gone through traumatic injuries, people often come to us very quiet or even tearful. But after attending groups like the choir, we start to see their personalities shine through, it’s lovely to see. They feel relaxed, not judged, and part of something.”
As well as choir sessions, Headway offers tailored support including tennis, gym sessions and seated chair exercises, help with PIP and benefits applications, and family support through one-to-one or group sessions. It’s all about helping people with acquired brain injury live as independently and fully as possible.
Like many charities, Headway relies on grants and donations to keep services running, which made the Gosport Community Fund a lifeline.
“I would 100% recommend a Gosport charity applies for this funding,” said Jo. “It was really clear what the fund supports, and the application itself was straightforward. It’s lovely to have our work recognised and this grant means so much to us.”