The Elizabeth Lornie’s Charitable Trust, previously known as The Morton Charitable Trust, has supported Live Music Now Scotland for many years, with a particular emphasis on its work with older people with dementia in residential and daycare in Edinburgh. The new name honours Mrs Lornie’s extremely generous philanthropic support of and personal interest in charities throughout Scotland.

With this unparalleled new award, which will be rolled out over 5 years with £30,000 each year, covering the period 2025 – 2030, Live Music Now Scotland’s exceptional early career artists will be able to deliver annual residency programmes in five care facilities, with a focus on Leith and north Edinburgh, the area of the city in which Mrs Lornie lived. These will include venues visited in the past, such as Braeburn Care Home, and new venues, with activity at North Edinburgh Dementia Care at the Seagrove Centre commencing for the first time in spring 2025.
The funding award will also enable a bespoke, high-level, professional development programme for Live Music Now Scotland artists. This will be known as the David McLellan Programme, recognising recently retired LMNS board member David McLellan’s input to the charity over many years, as well as his involvement and support of the wider music and arts sector in Scotland.
LMNS Director, Carol Main MBE FRC, said, ‘Everyone knows how difficult it is for arts and charitable funding at the moment. There are always challenges in raising funds, but never as challenging as now. Need and demand are increasing, but all while costs going up and sources of funding diminishing. This award is a real confidence booster not just for Live Music Now Scotland, but for our sector. Most importantly, it will enable sustained social impact through sharing the joy and transforming benefits of live music with those who need it most while simultaneously supporting highly talented emerging artists to build their careers.’
Previous funding years
In 2020, Live Music Now Scotland was awarded £50,000 over 5 years by The Morton Charitable Trust, as it was then called. The funds were used to deliver up to 5 concert residencies each year to the elderly in care homes and adult day care centres around Edinburgh, with the aim to deliver high-quality, live music to those who would not normally be able to access it.
In year one, the residencies had not long commenced when the Covid pandemic hit. LMNS was able to deliver only 3 of our scheduled live in-person concerts at venues, before the performing world, as we knew it, stopped. All LMNS activity in usual settings, including care homes, ceased due to restrictions. Live Music Now Scotland, like many arts organisations, worked quickly and flexibly to shift our work online. We created a series of videos called ‘Together at Home’ which featured a variety of LMNS musicians, recording music from wherever they were during lockdown.
Because of the flexibility and understanding from Morton Charitable Trust, LMNS was able to repurpose the remaining year one funds to contribute to 26 online videos as part of ‘Together at Home’ series. In this way, we continued to give performing opportunities to artists whilst simultaneously engaging audiences who would otherwise be unable to experience music as part of their day-to-day lives.
Due to additional spikes in Covid cases and the onset of a second lockdown, the majority of concerts continued to be held online during the second year. In Year 3, opportunities for in-person delivery continued to rise, and for most venues, our musicians started playing inside again. It felt like such a relief to return to some version of performing ‘normality’! For many homes, this had been the first live, in-person performances since lockdown and they were most appreciative. An Activities Coordinator at Braeburn Home said: ‘This was the first live performance we’ve had in our care home since before lockdown. It was very special to have two such fabulous and professional musicians visit us. It felt like a special event and the thought that we will be repeating this regularly and getting to know these great performers feels very special.’

Year Four signalled the return of every performance in person, and very much felt like normality had been restored! 29 performances across 5 venues, were all delivered in a 5-month period. The benefits of repeated performances by the same musicians, in the same venue at regular intervals were felt by all involved. For staff and service users, along with musicians, familiarity grew as relationships developed and a sense of comfort allowed all to feel at ease.

Oct 2022: Eric Liddell Centre
Alex Griffiths (flute) & Sinae Sung (piano)

Evaluation
Feedback from previous residencies has shown that the visits by the musicians had a great impact on the residents, increasing enjoyment, social interaction and memory. A daycare Manager at the Eric Liddell Centre said, “Clients came alive by singing, clapping their hands, tapping their feet and one client played conductor. The performers played recognisable tunes as well as less well-known music. They encouraged and inspired our client group throughout the session”.
A senior carer at Queen’s Bay Lodge, commented, “Music increases both engagement and energy for the residents, it helps promote social interactions and prompts memories as well as movement with the residents.”
Commentary from Katie Rush, LMNS Project Manager
‘As Project Manager for LMNS, I have had the fortunate role of overseeing Morton Charitable Trust funding during the last 5/6 years, which has allowed over 150 performances to take place. During this period, the grants have had an immense impact on communities, notably during Covid lockdowns. For many audiences in care homes and day centres at this time, LMNS musicians brought live music into their lives through a series of specially recorded videos and online concerts. Once restrictions had lifted, a return to face-to-face performances by LMNS musicians marked the first live music heard in person for many venues for more than a year. The social, emotional and well-being benefits of these performances for all involved, were a pleasure to be a part of. We are incredibly grateful to the Morton Charitable Trust for their support, without which these events wouldn’t have been possible.
Live Music Now Scotland is looking forward to once again working with the Trust and is honoured to become the recipient of the first grant made by the Trust in its new name, Elizabeth Lornie’s Charitable Trust. This new 5-year grant will not only allow LMNS to once again take high-quality live music to care homes and day centres but will also include The David McLellan Programme for musicians’ professional development. This portion of the grant will benefit two ensembles each year having access to high-level music sector professionals as mentors to help advance and accelerate their careers. This will include industry insights, guidance and advice as well as mentoring of their performances in care homes and day centres as part of the grant. This is an extremely exciting development and LMNS relishes the opportunity ahead.‘
The 2024 LMNS music project at Braeburn Care Home
Between March 2020 and March 2024, Live Music Now Scotland, with funding from Elizabeth Lornie’s Charitable Trust, formerly known as the Morton Charitable Trust, delivered over 100 live participatory performances in seven care homes and day centres across Edinburgh. This short video, featuring LMNS violinists, Penny James & Matt Tighe, performing at Braeburn Care Home, gives an insight into the performances that took place, together with hearing from those who were part of the project.