What is Benslow Instrument Loan Scheme?
The Instrument Loan Scheme lends high quality instruments to promising young players and students, throughout the UK, who are unable to afford or obtain a suitable instrument of their own.
Borrowers
- We lend to young people up to the age of 25 who are in full-time education.
- The initial instrument loan period is for 3 years, however, many loans are renewed and instruments may sometimes be upgraded to meet the borrowers' needs.
- A refundable deposit of £100 is required before taking any instrument. Borrowers are charged an annual fee that contributes towards administration, repairs and insurance. Bursaries are available for lower income families on request.
- The Instrument Loan Scheme helps many young musicians achieve their musical aims.
Instruments for Loan
We have over 1500 instruments, including bows, in the Loan Scheme.
Instruments in the Scheme include -
- All sizes of violins
- All sizes of cellos
- Varied sizes of violas
- Varied sizes of double basses
- Varied sizes of bows
- Flutes
- Clarinets
- Oboes
- Bassoons
- 2 Bassett Horns (available for short term hire only - also to adult organisations)
- Please note: We do not lend pianos, keyboards, harps, guitars or brass instruments
To apply for a loan of an instrument please download the application form (help with download), send the completed form to the Instrument Loan Scheme office together with a letter of reference from the student's instrumental teacher.
PLEASE RETAIN THE 'CONDITIONS OF LOAN' SHEETS FOR YOUR OWN REFERENCE AND READ CAREFULLY
How can the Loan Scheme survive?
The Instrument Loan Scheme is an independent charity, which does not receive any public funding at this time. The number of instruments in the Scheme has more than doubled in the last three years, causing repair, insurance and bursary award costs to increase significantly.
Here are some ways that you can help us with this vital work -
Become a Friend of the Loan Scheme - All we ask for is an annual contribution of £10 but of course any amount is welcome. Download and fill in this form (help with download) and subscribe by standing order or pay by card or cheque. If you are a British tax-payer, completing the gift aid part of the form will enable us to receive even more from your donation.
Just think...
1,000 Friends giving £100 a year each, would generate £100,000 for the Loan Scheme. Even £10 per year would make £10,000 annually for this important national resource for young musicians!
Lend or donate an instrument to the Scheme - If you have an instrument you do not use, but don't want to sell, you might want to loan it to the Scheme for a minimum period of three years. Instruments tend to improve with being played, so the Loan Scheme is an ideal solution. You can also donate an instrument to the Scheme, to ensure it will keep on being played.
Leave a bequest - Please consider leaving either an instrument or monetary donation as a bequest in your will, thus ensuring the Scheme continues for future generations.
Because the Scheme lends instruments to promising students rather than beginners, the Scheme puts a lower valuation limit for instruments loaned to the Scheme, of approx £2,500 for full-size violins/violas and £3,000 for cellos. Double basses and woodwind are appraised on an individual basis. Any good quality small-size instruments are accepted, but not student or factory made models. Gifts of any kind are most gratefully accepted. All instruments are fully insured by the Scheme and are always maintained by known repairers/restorers.
Become a Corporate Sponsor of Benslow Instrument Loan Scheme - This could be your organisation's chance to make a difference to the lives of young people. Click here for more information.
75th Anniversary
The Instrument Loan Scheme celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2007. We hope that people will go on supporting the Scheme for the next 75 years, as more and more young people are needing our help.
A message from Julian Lloyd Webber
Julian Lloyd Webber
"When I heard about the work of Benslow Instrument Loan Scheme, I had no hesitation in agreeing to become a Patron. The benefits to the young people who are lent such good instruments are tremendous and, over its 75 years, the Scheme has helped thousands of young musicians achieve their goals. Future generations need the Scheme to continue, so I urge you to join with me in supporting it in any way you can"
Loan Scheme Patrons:
Sir Neville Marriner - Principal Patron
The Alberni String Quartet
Prof. George Caird
Louis Carus
Gavin Henderson CBE
Duchess of Kent
Julian Lloyd Webber
The Maggini String Quartet
Philip Meaden
Prof. Curtis Price KBE
Dame Janet Ritterman
Peter Stark
Stephen Wilkinson
Benslow Instrument Loan Scheme is grateful for the support of:
The Musicians Benevolent Fund
The Ofenheim Charitable Trust
The Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust
The Earl of Harewood Charitable Settlement
The John and Susan Bowers Fund
AXA Art
Heath Lambert Group plc
Dick Bland and family
The estate of Alice Brenda Buckley
Mrs. Lovedy Cornish
Livia Gollancz
Mr. J. C. Grundy
Margaret Hodgson
Lorna Jackson
The family of Ann Measures
Mr. Richard J. Smith
The Friends of the Instrument Loan Scheme
and the many owners of our loaned instruments.
Benslow Instrument Loan Scheme
Little Benslow Hills, Benslow Lane
Hitchin, Herts. SG4 9RB
Tel: 01462 420748 Fax: 01462 440171
Email: ilsbenslow@benslow.org