Sedbergh Pepperpot Club was founded in 1997 and exists to encourage any who wish to take up orchestral instruments and widen their horizons. There are some orchestral instruments available for loan with no hiring fee, merely a nominal payment for insurance cover, and there is support for promising young players of orchestral instruments living in and around Sedbergh and District.

Members pay a small subscription to join. In return they are offered a varied programme of mainly cultural events. Further funds for the young musicians are raised by means of a levy of a £1 'peppercorn' per person per event attended. Thus for the member, the fund-raising to assist in the musical education of local young people can go hand in hand with the opportunity for a continuing appreciation of the arts in general, often difficult to achieve in a rural district like ours.

Sedbergh  Pepperpot  Club,  which  includes Pepperpot Music Makers, became a Registered Charity (No. 1087220) on 28th June 2001. This enables tax, currently at the rate of 28p in the £, to be reclaimed on all subscriptions and donations from individuals, provided the donors pay tax.

Learning and practicing a musical instrument can seem a solitary pastime; part of the fun in music-making is to play with other instrumentalists. In order to give young children this experience and to foster their interest in music, the Pepperpot Music Makers 'orchestra' was established in October 2000 as a result of successful bids for funding. The 'orchestra', which rehearses after school at Sedbergh Primary School, is open to children aged 7 to 11 (including those from other schools within striking distance) who are already learning to play instruments. These may include ocarinas, recorders, guitars, keyboards as well as non-transposing orchestral instruments. Folk, pop and classical music all feature.

Although originally intended for primary age children, the 'orchestra' has attracted some adult beginners and 'returners' as well. They find that the experience of playing in a group is both valuable and enjoyable. In turn their presence is an encouragement to the children so the arrangement is mutually beneficial. Occasionally a concert is organised and in June 2004, Across an Unknown Sea - the Quest of St Brendan, a music-drama specially commissioned by Sedbergh Pepperpot Club from Lakeland Composer Christopher Gibbs, was performed during the Sedbergh Festival. In keeping with the ethos of the Club, people of all ages and levels of musical experience were involved: the Pepperpot 'orchestra', a chorus of teenage singers, experienced amateur and professional instrumentalists and two professional singers; even the audience participated!

For the Music Makers Project to remain viable, it must be placed on a firm financial footing. External funding is increasingly difficult to obtain and we are therefore appealing for more help for the Pepperpot Music Makers from:

• Friends who pay an annual subscription of £5
  
• Sponsors who make a minimum gift of £20 p.a.
  
• Company Sponsors
  
• Those willing to leave a legacy
  

Sedbergh Pepperpot Club is greatly indebted to the Frieda Scott Charitable Trust which is covering the running costs of the Pepperpot Music Makers orchestra for the current year. We are also grateful to Sportsprint of Kendal who provided sweatshirts with the Pepperpot logo for the youngsters at a special price. The Music Makers are seen wearing these in some of the photographs. A recent grant was awarded by Sedbergh United Charities and Widows Hospital to cover the cost of these, and the remainder will go towards the staging of The Midnight Thief which the primary-aged Music Makers will perform during St Andrew's Festival 2006. A further grant from Sedbergh and Kirkby Lonsdale Neighbourhood Forum, together with a gift from an anonymous donor, enabled the purchase of a glockenspiel and six music stands for the use of the orchestra. We very much appreciate this generous grant.

Donations from Members, Friends and Sponsors are also much appreciated and have proved a valuable source of income since the schemes began.