Name: Cody
Age: 3
Amber Service: Little Amber
3 year-old* Cody absolutely loves music and has been a Little Amber recipient since 2022. He has Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy, is completely blind and has developmental delay.
His mother, Ana, observes that ‘Cody really enjoys his music lessons with practitioner Steve Harper. He loves listening to the different instruments and enjoys feeling the vibration with his hands and feet.
‘Cody doesn’t usually like being touched but he will happily sit on Steve’s lap while Steve shows him different instruments,’ Ana continues. ‘We are so grateful to The Amber Trust for providing this opportunity for Cody. It makes a big difference to his development, and I love to see the smile on his face during his sessions. Steve is amazing with Cody.’
Little Amber caters for babies and children aged 0–5, including those with additional disabilities. Families receive percussion instruments, activity cards, and home visits from a music practitioner. Many children will graduate from Little Amber to an Amber Music Award or our AmberPlus scheme.
“I love to see the smile on his face during his sessions” Cody’s Mum
‘I started visiting Cody when he was just eight months old,’ says Steve. ‘He was very unsure about people he didn’t know when we first met, so we started slowly. It became clear very early on just how much he was inspired by sound, song, music and vibration.
‘Over the years he has slowly “let me in” to his world. He hums tuneful patterns, loves finding phrases on the tuned bells, and can’t restrain himself from exploring the joys of the floor drums – whether it is playing them, feeling them with his feet or lying down on them to get the full experience. It is always a pleasure to make music with Cody!’
Cody’s Award is supported by The Powell Family Foundation.
*Age correct at time of publishing
To support other children like Cody on their musical journey, please donate to The Amber Trust. Your support enables us to provide music opportunities to vision impaired children across the UK, including those with additional needs.