BRADFORD College has been awarded a £1,200 grant to buy new musical instruments for students, thanks to a national charity.

The money from the Universal Music UK Sound Foundation has helped the college's music department buy new guitars, an electric keyboard, African djembe drums and bongos.

John Dey, music lecturer, said: “Our music students perform at college events and at outside events such as Bradford Festival so having the best instruments to enable them to show off their talent and showcase the music department is great.

“The new instruments will be used for rehearsals and performances by our students. The new purchases are updates and additions to the instruments we had already and will give more students access to the best equipment possible.

“Having a range of top-class instruments also ensures that our courses remain inclusive by ensuring students can access high-quality equipment regardless of their financial circumstances.

“This is just the latest in some recent investment in our music department that means we now have two excellent performance spaces and high-quality sound and lighting systems meaning that we can stage a variety of events in college from musical theatre to small jazz gigs and music recitals.

“Everyone in the music department is grateful to Universal Music UK Sound Foundation for the generosity and can assure the foundation that the instruments will be very well used.”