2026 workshops

​​

Dementia Friendly Drum Circle and Singalong

Tuesday 19 May, 1pm-3pm.

St Michael's Church, Ashton, PR2 1AJ.

Hot drinks, snacks, a drum circle and a singalong. Suitable for people with dementia and their carers. Free to attend.

Supported by Blue Flamingo.

​​​​

A Cappella Singing Workshop

Tuesday 19 May, 7pm-8.30pm.

Room 226 of the Media Factory, Kirkham Street off Fylde Road.

Learn simple unaccompanied songs in harmony. No music reading. Everyone welcome regardless of ability or experience. Free for non-members of Preston People's Choir.​​​

Supported by Preston People's Choir.

​​

Dementia Friendly Singalong

Wednesday 20 May, 12.30pm-2pm.

St Teresa's Parish Centre, Queensway, PR1 0DS.

Hot drinks, snacks and a singalong with optional dancing. Suitable for people with dementia and their carers. Free to attend.

Supported by Blue Flamingo.

​

Beginners Samba Drumming Workshop

Wednesday 20 May, 6.15pm-8.15pm

Room 226 of the Media Factory, Kirkham Street off Fylde Road.

Have a go at samba drumming using instruments such as the large surdo, the agogo bells and the ganza shakers. Instruments provided. No previous experience required. Free for non-members of Worldwise Samba Drummers.​​

Supported by the Worldwise Samba Drummers.

​

Lunchtime Singing Workshop

Friday 22 May, 12pm-1pm.

Central Methodist Church, Lune Street, PR1 2NL.

This relaxed, lunchtime singing session welcomes people whatever their singing ability as we learn simple songs in harmony. No music reading. Suitable for anyone but delivered so as to be accessible for blind people. Free to attend.

Supported by Illumination Community Choir and Central Methodist Church.

​

Disability Friendly Music Workshop

Friday 22 May, 2pm-3pm

Disability Equality (NW), 23 Sedgwick Street, PR1 1TP.

Music-making with the aim of being accessible to anyone. Use provided percussion or bring your own instruments. (Any necessary support staff are required to attend. Get in contact beforehand using JonAveyard1@gmail.com if you want to discuss accessibility requirements.) Free to attend.

Supported by the Jubiloso music group and Disability Equality (NW).

​

Family Drum Circle

Saturday 23 May, 1pm-2pm

Cottam Community Centre, Haydocks Lane, PR4 0NY.

Guided improvised drumming using a wide variety of percussion instruments. Open to any age. Children to be accompanied by a responsible adult. Free to attend.

​

Djembe Jam

Saturday 23 May, 2.30pm-3.30pm

Cottam Community Centre, Haydocks Lane, PR4 0NY.

This participatory workshop, open to anyone regardless of ability or experience, will teach patterns for the djembe and other percussion instruments. Free to attend.

​​​

Festival Scratch Band and Singalong Session

Sunday 24 May, 10am-12pm.

Upstairs at The Twelve Tellers, Church Street, PR1 3BQ.

Bring your voices and bring your instruments to singalong/playalong with a selection of classic popular songs. Lyrics, chords and notated melodies will be provided along with hand percussion for those who want to use it. 10am set-up for 10.30am-12pm music-making. No food or alcohol allowed upstairs but hot or soft drinks can be brought into the session. Free to attend.

​

Ukulele Workshop

Monday 25 May, 12pm-1pm.

Cottam Community Centre, Haydocks Lane, PR4 0NY.

Bring your ukuleles and join in with the strumming. Guidance on chords and strumming patterns will be provided. Singing optional. Cahons, washboards, etc. also welcome. Free to attend.​

Supported by the Cottam Ukuleles.

​

Beginners Handbell Workshop

Monday 25 May, 1pm-2pm.

Cottam Community Centre, Haydocks Lane, PR4 0NY.

Have a go at playing the handbells. Using a lightweight set of bells, we will put together some simple pieces. This workshop uses music notation. Free to attend.

Supported by the Preston Handbell Ensemble.

​

Easy Descant/Tenor Recorder Workshop

Monday 25 May, 2pm-3pm.

Cottam Community Centre, Haydocks Lane, PR4 0NY.

Bring your descant or tenor recorder and join the ensemble as it is guided towards playing recorder music in three parts - a descant tune, an easy descant harmony and a mid-difficulty tenor line. Suitable for beginner or lapsed recorder players. This workshop uses music notation. Free to attend.

Supported by the Good Day Sunshine Recorder Group.

​

A Cappella Singing Workshop

Tuesday 26 May, 7pm-8.30pm.

Room 226 of the Media Factory, Kirkham Street off Fylde Road.

Learn simple unaccompanied songs in harmony. No music reading. Everyone welcome regardless of ability or experience. Free for non-members of Preston People's Choir.​​​

Supported by Preston People's Choir.

​

Dementia Friendly Samba Drumming

Wednesday 27 May, 12.30pm-2pm

St Teresa's Social Centre, Queensway, Penwortham, PR1 0DS.

Hot drinks, snacks and a samba drumming session. Suitable for people with dementia and their carers. Free to attend.

Supported by Blue Flamingo.

​

Afro-Cuban Percussion Workshop

Wednesday 27 May, 6.15pm-8.15pm

Room 226 of the Media Factory, Kirkham Street off Fylde Road.

Have a go at Afro-Cuban percussion using congas, bongos, claves and shakers. Instruments provided. No previous experience required. Free for non-members of Worldwise Samba Drummers.​​

Supported by the Worldwise Samba Drummers.

​

Lunchtime Singing Workshop

Friday 29 May, 12pm-1pm.

Central Methodist Church, Lune Street, PR1 2NL.

This relaxed, lunchtime singing session welcomes people whatever their singing ability as we learn simple songs in harmony. No music reading. Suitable for anyone but delivered so as to be accessible for blind people. Free to attend.

Supported by Illumination Community Choir and Central Methodist Church.

​

Disability Friendly Music Workshop

Friday 29 May, 2pm-3pm

Disability Equality (NW), 23 Sedgwick Street, PR1 1TP.

Music-making with the aim of being accessible to anyone. Use provided percussion or bring your own instruments. (Any necessary support staff are required to attend. Get in contact beforehand using JonAveyard1@gmail.com if you want to discuss accessibility requirements.) Free to attend.

Supported by the Jubiloso music group and Disability Equality (NW).

​​​

Participants to many of these sessions will be invited to subsequently perform in Avenham Park on the morning of Saturday 30 May and/or at The Ferret on the evening of Tuesday 2 June.

​​

Visit www.prestonjazzfest.org for details of the Preston Jazz & Improvisation Festival.

​​

"We had such fun and created awesome music thanks to Jon."

​

"I attended two of the jazz festival workshops and was able to really enjoy them thanks to the gentle, inclusive and cheerful manner of the workshop leader."

​

"Jon builds up a remarkable amount of diverse community groups and succeeds to bring them together at events like the Jazz Festival. These groups are joyful and allow everybody, regardless of their abilities or background to join and make music together. We laugh a lot. Jon is an excellent teacher and is patient beyond belief. He knows how to bring people together and make music together."

​​

About The Ferret performance: "What an event that was. I enjoyed every minute of it."

​

Photographs by Michael Porter

taken at the Preston Jazz & Improvisation Festivals 2023 and 2025.