Together, Making a Difference
Here's how we are making a difference to your health and wellbeing











We conduct medical research with the emphasis on common conditions that often affect people's everyday lives. Your donation will fund research into burns injuries, glaucoma and children and adults who are benefiting from a wide range of therapies including music and drama therapy. Our research impacts on the health of people across the UK and the rest of the world.


Burns injuries

A new joint venture between the internationally renowned St Andrews Burns Unit - which covers a population of 3.2 million and a regional service for 9.8 million people - and Anglia Ruskin will make a difference to those who have suffered from major burns. Burn injury affects thousands of people each year in the UK and recent advances in burn care have saved many lives but have also left many patients living with severely disfiguring scars.

The Scar Analysis Laboratory is a new joint venture between St Andrews Plastic Surgery Centre and our University which is working to find ways to improve the appearance of scars for both adults and children. Essential to the success of this project is the purchase of a new state-of-the-art 3D laser scanner and spectrophotometer. Images from this 3D scanner will be used to analyse and feed back on current reconstructive surgeries and the spectrophotometer will analyse tissue samples to improve the outcomes of future surgeries for burn injured patients.


Caroline Swinburn

The skills I have been learning about on my Anglia Ruskin MA Music Therapy course, and whilst on training placements, are being used effectively in a very different cultural setting. This has reinforced my conviction as to the immense power of music therapy to change lives, as well as giving me all sorts of new ideas to use in my own clinical work.

Caroline Swinburne, Music Therapy MA, after visiting the Music Therapy Community Clinic in Cape Town, South Africa


A child taking part in a music therapy session

Music Therapy

Music therapy uses improvised music to treat people suffering from learning difficulties, autism, dementia, depression and a whole range of mental disabilities. Music therapy has also made a key contribution to patient care for those suffering as a result of physical or sexual abuse, HIV or post-traumatic stress. Working through live interactive music or through listening to music can help relationships and improve psychological health for many people so music therapists interact with patients through music, establishing a means of communication without always using words

Music Therapy at Anglia Ruskin was established on the Cambridge campus in 1994 and, in addition to providing the first MA in Music Therapy training in the UK, the department is a centre for excellence in research. In 2005, our Music Therapy Clinic was opened, serving the community in Cambridgeshire and the surrounding area. We provide treatment for many local groups, charities and voluntary organisations, private individuals as well as statutory health, education and social services.

If you wish to support music therapy specifically, you can do so by clicking the 'Donate' button and selecting 'Anglia Ruskin Music Therapy Appeal' on our online donation page.
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