News and Blog

For all of the latest news on the project please follow us on our various social media channels.

“Songwriting Is A Superpower” Swan Song in The Red Bulletin

"Meet the Leeds-based musician and would-be detective who’s helping the terminally ill create a legacy through song. “I was nothing, now I’m me,” Vic Simborowski sings quietly, his face wrought with emotion. Opposite him, a heavily bearded man with tattooed forearms...

Dear Eddie Newell – A blog by Charlotte Newell

I was recommended to the Swan Song Project through my bereavement councillor at the start of December. Straight away I was incredibly interested to find out more so on the same day I sent an email and was lucky enough to have my first session with Ben the next day. My...

Author donates book proceeds to The Swan Song Project

We are delighted to have gained the support of Sarah Jones of Full Circle Funerals, author of the Amazon bestselling funeral self-help book Funerals Your Way. Sarah will be donating the proceeds of the book to The Swan Song Project throughout 2021 after being...

Vic’s song in the key of life helps family grieve

Vic Simborowski didn’t get to meet his new grandson who was born just three weeks before Vic died at the age of 70. But thanks to The Swan Song Project – a National Lottery-funded organisation that helps people nearing the end of their life write and record a song –...

Help Swan Song win £5,000!

Help us to win £5,000! We need your votes by midday on 21st December The Swan Song Project has the chance to win £5,000 in the Marsh Commercial For The People Awards. Wow! As a small charity, that makes a big impact, we need your help to secure as many votes as...

The Warmth That Surrounds – Our Mum’s Song by Duncan and Heather Williamson

When Mum found out she had secondary breast cancer in 2015 the news devastated us all. It felt particularly cruel coming shortly after she received the all clear from her first battle with cancer years earlier. Mum lived with her terminal diagnosis for the best part...

National Lottery & Jay Blades honours Swan Song with a Community Bench

The National Lottery is launching 12 Community Benches across the UK to honour individuals that have gone above and beyond for their community. We are so thrilled that one of these is dedicated to our very own Ben Buddy Slack for his work with The Swan Song Project....

“Starting at The Swan Song Project” by Gemma Cross – Fundraising Manager

At the time of writing this I am in my fourth week as Fundraising Manager at The Swan Song Project – and what a fantastic four weeks it has been! I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on my time so far and to share a thing or two with you. Having been a Swan Song...

“Everything is Alright” Ron’s song by Alexia Reed

My late husband , Ron Reed, received palliative care at Marie Curie Hospice in Bradford from October 2017 to July 2019. He found The Swan Song Project really helped him and made him more positive and able to accept the reality of his own death. It enabled us as a...

Appreciate Life – My Mum’s Song by Lindsey King

My mum, Lydia Nicoll, received palliative care at St. Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds from October to December 2018. One thing that kept her going during her final weeks was The Swan Song Project. I’m not sure how she came upon the flier about the project but I remember...