To promote, encourage, maintain, develop and improve public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music in all its aspects within the county of Norfolk. The trust also aims to help the development of highly-talented Norfolk-based young musicians to pursue careers as professionals by offering annual grants and occasional public-performing opportunities. Successful applicants will already be highly skilled in one or more of the six disciplines (brass, keyboard, percussion, strings, voice and woodwind) and will be either undergoing a period of study at a music college or specialist school, or will have made plans to do so. The trust was formed in February 2001 out of Music at Saint George’s, whose origins go back to October 1977, and which was registered as a charity in February 1995. Between 1977 and 1995, hundred of musicians - young and mature and amateur and professional - were promoted in public events in the Church of St George, Tombland. It is estimated that two-thirds of those who took part were mature performers and one-third were young musicians. In 1980, the trust secured sponsorship-in-kind from Xerox UK Ltd (formerly Rank Xerox Ltd) continuously until 2001. In March 1993, the annual Norfolk Young Musician Competition was launched, securing sponsorship from the John Lewis Partnership plc until 2011. (The competition has been successfully administered by the Michael Badminton Young Musician Trust since February 2001.) After brief stays in The King of Hearts Arts Centre, Fye Bridge Street, and St George’s Church, Colegate, the trust moved to the United Reformed Church, Princes Street, Norwich, in March 1994. In 1995, the trustees decided to concentrate on helping the highly-talented young musician. In March 1999, the chairman was awarded a Civic Award for his Outstanding Contribution to the Community of Norwich. The trust has always ploughed back money into local music-making. To date, over £20,000 has been donated to both organisations and individuals to meet the costs of making public appearances at over 260 events. In January 2002, the trust made its first individual annual grants to young musicians undergoing graduate and post-graduate courses. Such appearances enable performers to hone their skills in public appearances. In the New Year List 2003, the chairman received a UK National Honour being elected as a Member of the British Empire for Services to Music in Norwich. In January 2006, came the award of a modest annual scholarship and a public-performing opportunity to a second-year University of East Anglia School of Music student. Past winners and performers have been the trumpeter Stephen Gilbey, the organist Benjamin Giddens, the classical guitarist Nick Jukes, the flautist and harpist Carys Chaney, the oboist James Marangone, the flautist Alisha Johnson, and the mezzo- soprano Ellen-May Shipp. Among other UEA graduates who the trust has been pleased to promote in public concerts are the readers Penny Boxall and Claire-Jane Carter and musicians Jody Butler, William Fergusson, Benjamin Lee and Alison Lincoln. If you would like to support the trust’s work in the longer term, please speak to the chairman.