A new music club for nine to 15-year-olds is opening in Spalding this autumn, giving young people a low-cost place to make music, meet other musicians and develop creative skills.
The Music Youth Club will run on Saturdays from 1pm to 3pm at Bromley Memorial Hall on Bourne Road in Spalding. Sessions cost £1, but places are limited and families are asked to book by calling Amber Sinclair on 07939 266321.
The club is part of a wider expansion by the Rock School Bus, a South Holland initiative which works with young people through music. Its autumn plans also include taking workshops into more schools and raising money to complete modifications to its mobile music bus.
What the new Spalding youth club will offer
Organiser Amber Sinclair said the sessions would combine music-making with activities designed to help young people build friendships and confidence.
“It’s a chance to make new friends who share their interest in music, make music, listen to music on records, CDs and tapes, create music themed arts and crafts and write their own songs.”
The club is funded through the Tesco Stronger Starts initiative. The wider Sound Futures project is funded by Arts Council Endland and the youth club is sponsored by Tesco, according to the organisation.
The Rock School Bus has also been celebrating the achievements of four students who earned the Silver Arts Award. The qualification is described as a level two music award equivalent to a GCSE.
“It gives more students the opportunity to move beyond creativity alone, developing leadership, independence, and team working skills,” said Amber Sinclair.
She added that the group hoped to recognise more students for their work in future.
Workshops planned for more schools
Sound Futures is being delivered in association with Lincolnshire Music Hub. The project will help the organisation modify its bus so music workshops can be taken directly into schools.
“This allows us to modify our new bus ready to take music workshops directly into schools,” said Sinclair.
She said the aim was to inspire pupils through music-making and creating, while also introducing them to opportunities available outside school.
The organisation is still seeking businesses interested in sponsoring the Rock School Bus as it works towards completing the bus modifications. A fundraising event is planned for October, with The Houndogs booked to play. Organisers said further announcements would be made on social media and encouraged people to buy tickets early.
From Spalding activities to festival performances
The expansion follows a busy summer for the Rock School Bus and its members. Young musicians performed at festivals, including Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire, where they shared a bill with Scissor Sisters and The Last Dinner Party.
Sinclair said attending Wilderness was a first festival experience for many participants. As well as performing, they were able to watch established artists, including Annie Lennox.
“Going to Wilderness was a first festival for many and it not only gave them a chance to perform, but also to experience music being performed at the highest level, including the wonderful Annie Lennox,” said Sinclair.
The group also sponsored the second stage at Ayscoughfest 2026, creating a space for local choirs and acoustic acts away from the main stage. Its mini and youth bands performed at a number of local events, while the organisation supported “the Zone” pop-up in Spalding town centre.
Another recent project involved Ryan Gilmartin and Young Event Planners. The group put together a band and learned a full set of songs from the FIFA franchise for a FIFA project.
Young people attending the new Music Youth Club or taking part in Sound Futures could eventually have similar performance opportunities, including appearances at festivals and local events.
