Swindon piano teacher has date at the House of Commons

Janet chairs Swindon Music Teachers' Co-operative, which was set up in 1998 by David Barnard, who is still affiliated to the Swindon branch in an advisory capacity.

She was invited to represent Swindon at the launch of Altogether Now on Monday, a guide to forming new music teachers co-operatives, which is to be held in the Houses of Parliament.

The event was held to bring together MPs, policy makers, members of the Musicians' Union, and teachers to mark the pioneering work of music teachers who have formed co-operatives up and down the country.

Janet said: "David wrote Altogether Now, a resource booklet set out as a tool kit for self employed music teachers to set up a co-operative in their area.''

David also attended the event in London.

The Swindon co-op is based in The Shaftsbury Centre, Percy Street, and has more than 50 self-employed specialist music teachers on its books, who work in 70 local schools.

Janet said: "It is a cost effective way of delivering music tuition. We work in schools alongside their own music departments during school hours, but the parents pay us directly, as we are specialist teachers.''

The Swindon group provide tuition in woodwind, brass, strings, guitar, keyboards, percussion and vocals.

The group also runs music clubs and ensembles, delivers music curriculums within schools that support GCSE and A-level music exams, as well as teaching music theory and aural projects.

Many of the Swindon teachers, such as Janet, are experienced accompanists playing for music exams, concerts and choirs along with writing their own compositions and arrangements, as well as performing on stage at gigs, recitals and musical theatre productions.

On Monday at the launch in Parliament Street, Janet and David were joined by representatives from co-operatives from as far away as Milton Keynes, Denbighshire in Wales, the Isle of Wight, Newcastle and Lincolnshire.

 - Flicky Harrison