Case study:Achates Fundraises: The People’s Orchestra

The People’s Orchestra (TPO) is a remarkable community-based arts organisation based in Sandwell in the West Midlands, one of the most deprived boroughs in the country. TPO engages and empowers experienced musicians of all levels, educating and mentoring talented artists to reach professional performance standards, and its community choirs are open to all.  TPO’s phenomenally successful volunteer and work placement programme has assisted near 1,000 unemployed people into work, providing valuable skills and training to many embarking into creative careers.  Achates has worked with TPO since 2019 on a 1.5 day a month basis and in that time has supported the organisation with regard to strategy and bid writing support with the organisation doubling its turnover in that time and planning to do so again in the year ahead.