A not-for-profit organisation is expanding its support for neurodiverse people.

Swell Music CIC, which was founded in 2020, uses the power of music to support people.

 It has announced plans to expand its provision for neurodiverse people.

The organisation, founded by Helen Barnes, has been supporting neurodiverse young musicians since 2022, helping nine talented individuals to further their careers and seize new opportunities.

With backing from Arts Council England and The Seagull Theatre in Pakefield, Ms Barnes will extend her work in this field.

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From October, a new Music for Wellbeing group called Open Access will be launched, specifically for neurodiverse individuals who enjoy making music in a safe and considerate environment.

The Open Access group will meet on alternate Wednesdays in both Lowestoft and Gorleston, at The Seagull Theatre and Shrublands Community Centre, respectively.

The sessions run from 1.30pm to 3pm, and there is no need to book in advance, so people can just turn up.

Swell Music CIC founder and director, Helen Barnes, said: “This is such a great development for the local neurodiverse community.

"We know that music can be a real area of strength for many people who are ND but that the social and communication challenges of meeting others to play and develop can be a massive barrier.

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"We hope that our Open Access groups will provide a really welcoming and appropriate space for neurodiverse people to come along and join in."

The Swell Music Neurodiversity Programme will also feature a new two-day music festival called "Wired Sounds" at the Seagull Theatre in early March.

The festival will showcase a mixture of local talented neurodiverse musicians, alongside talks and workshops to support broader understanding of neurodiversity.

Des Reynolds, assistant manager of The Seagull, said: "We know that these Neurodiverse music sessions will be massively successful and a real support for many local people.”

Anyone wanting more information can email community@theseagull.co.uk