....Cornerstones Corner - Gary Ryland, 'The Forget Me Knot Project' .. Cornel Cornerstones - Gary Ryland, 'The Forget Me Knot Project'....

….Back in the summer of 2021 we launched Cornerstones, an exciting new development programme for fresh thinking and passionate individuals looking to kickstart a career in community music. With the project successfully wrapped, we’ve been catching up with our inaugural intake of brilliant Project Leaders to find out more about their individual projects, experiences, and accomplishments.

This month we caught up with the Aberdare-based musician/singer/songwriter and now, Project Leader, Gary Ryland, to find out more about Cornerstones and how it helped him bring together, The Forget Me Knot Music Project.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being involved in Cornerstones with Community Music Wales,” explains Gary. “I feel like I’ve gained more confidence in how to organise and run a project. I’ve learned how best to plan, prioritise, and work to a timeline. I’ve also learnt how important it is to keep in mind your main objective, which for me was making a difference within the community.”

Held at St Elvan’s Church in the Cynon Valley, The Forget Me Knot Music Project was designed to not only have a direct impact on participants but an impact on their friends, family, and carers too. Through a series of friendly and welcoming sessions Gary’s project harnessed the power of music to alleviate the strains and stresses of those living their day-to-day lives with brain disorders like dementia, Alzheimer’s, and memory loss. Playing instruments, making music, and collaborating, the project was an extremely admirable and vital venture. One made all the more crucial for its participants, many of whom hadn’t been able to go out or experience any meaningful interaction due to the crushing impact of the pandemic.

Now that the Cornerstones project has come to an end, Gary’s new objectives are to offer more sessions to the local community, monitor the progress they have on everyone involved, and seek new ways to fund and establish the project to help support people further.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure seeing the difference these sessions have made to the people who live with dementia and various memory loss conditions, and the impact it’s had on them personally, as well as their families, carers and the community,” explains Gary. “I’ve learnt to trust my instincts and confidence is key. Whether planning, delivering the sessions or engaging with others, communication isn’t just having a voice it’s also about listening. Just simply listening to someone’s story can make a world of difference.”

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Yn ôl yn haf 2021 gwnaethom lansio Cornerstones, rhaglen ddatblygu newydd gyffrous ar gyfer unigolion brwdfrydig a chanddynt syniadau newydd a oedd yn awyddus i gychwyn ar yrfa ym maes cerddoriaeth gymunedol. Gan fod y prosiect bellach wedi dod i ben yn llwyddiannus, rydym wedi bod yn clywed y diweddaraf gan ein criw cyntaf o Arweinwyr Prosiect anhygoel a darganfod mwy am eu prosiectau, eu profiadau unigol a’r hyn a gyflawnwyd ganddynt.

Y mis hwn buom yn sgwrsio gyda Gary Ryland - y cerddor/canwr/ysgrifennwr caneuon sydd hefyd erbyn hyn yn Arweinydd Prosiect - er mwyn dysgu mwy am Cornerstones a sut y gwnaeth y rhaglen ei helpu i ddod â’r Forget Me Knot Music Project at ei gilydd.

“Rwyf wedi gwirioneddol fwynhau bod yn rhan o Cornerstones gyda Cerdd Gymunedol Cymru,” meddai Gary. “Rwy’n teimlo mod i wedi magu mwy o hyder o ran sut i drefnu a rhedeg prosiect. Rwyf wedi dysgu’r ffordd orau o gynllunio, blaenoriaethu a chwblhau gwaith erbyn dyddiadau targed. Rwyf hefyd wedi dysgu pa mor bwysig yw cadw’r prif nod mewn golwg, ac i mi, gwneud gwahaniaeth o fewn y gymuned oedd hynny.”

Cafodd The Forget Me Knot Music Project ei gynnal yn Eglwys Sant Elfan yng Nghwm Cynon a’r bwriad oedd, nid yn unig cael dylanwad uniongyrchol ar y rhai oedd yn cymryd rhan ond hefyd ar eu ffrindiau, eu teuluoedd a’u gofalwyr. Drwy gyfres o sesiynau cyfeillgar a chroesawgar roedd prosiect Gary yn harneisio pŵer cerddoriaeth i leddfu straen a phoen meddwl y rhai sy’n byw o ddydd i ddydd gydag anhwylderau meddyliol fel dementia, Alzheimer’s ac anghofrwydd. Drwy chwarae offerynnau, creu cerddoriaeth, a chydweithio, roedd y prosiect yn fenter hanfodol a chlodwiw tu hwnt. Roedd yn fwy hanfodol fyth ar gyfer y cyfranogwyr, gan nad oedd llawer ohonynt wedi gallu mynd allan na chael unrhyw gysylltiad ystyrlon oherwydd effaith llethol y pandemig.

A nawr, gan fod prosiect Cornerstones wedi dod i ben, amcanion newydd Gary yw cynnig mwy o sesiynau i’r gymuned leol, monitro’r dylanwad cadarnhaol maen nhw’n ei gael ar bawb sy’n cymryd rhan, a chwilio am ffyrdd newydd o gyllido a sefydlu’r prosiect i helpu i roi cymorth pellach i bobl.

“Mae hi wedi bod yn bleser pur gweld y gwahaniaeth mae’r sesiynau hyn wedi ei wneud i’r bobl sy’n byw gyda dementia ac amryw o gyflyrau anghofrwydd eraill, a’r effaith mae wedi’i gael arnyn nhw’n bersonol a hefyd ar eu teuluoedd, eu gofalwyr ac ar y gymuned,” meddai Gary. “Rwyf wedi dysgu gwrando ar fy ngreddf ac mae hyder yn allweddol. Beth bynnag ydych chi’n wneud - cynllunio, cyflwyno’r sesiynau neu ymgysylltu ag eraill - mae cyfathrebu’n golygu mwy na chael llais, mae hefyd yn golygu gwrando. Gall gwrando yn syml ar stori rhywun wneud byd o wahaniaeth.”….

“Just simply listening to someone’s story can make a world of difference.”