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1 nomination from readers

• With the Music Gym, Decoda has created something which not only provides an enjoyable and learning experience for its variously challenged clients (as supported by an independent evaluation of the benefits) but is also firmly rooted in the philosophy of social enterprise. Indeed, Decoda was formed as a social enterprise when hardly anyone knew what “social enterprise” meant. The driving passion was to build a sustainable business that would make a real difference to the clients using its services (people with profound disabilities and/or challenging behaviour) and that would not to come to an end, as so many projects do, when the initial funding runs out. Through hard work and determination, this has been achieved over the past 3 years, and a project is now underway to make a Music Gym available in major centres, throughout the UK.

  The success of a project can often be judged by the willingness of people to pay for the service. In this case, carers/support staff/parents have to make that decision on behalf of the Music Gym members – and they do, and there is much supporting evidence in the form of continuing patronage, unsolicited comments, and the joy shown by its members, that the Music Gym is achieving its objectives, e.g. some are making a round trip of over 60 miles to attend the sessions.

  Despite its good intentions and objectives, a social enterprise ultimately relies on the skills and enthusiasm of its people. In Decoda’s case the key players, Sue and Tom, work as a team to manage and deliver the Music Gym service with great success and, because of their desire to reach many more potential clients, they are now actively engaged in offering their experience and expertise to enable others to replicate the Music Gym in other centres.

  Nominated by John Challis, 16 May 2008