A CHARITY for people battling addiction is calling on supporters give something up this January.

New Note Projects helps people recovering from alcohol and drug addiction through music and storytelling.

The charity has launched their Warm Hearts Cold Turkey campaign, and is encouraging supporters to give something up this January to raise money for its projects in Brighton and Hove.

New Note’s founder Molly Mathieson said: “The idea is for people to give up something this month and to be sponsored for it.

“It could be anything, from alcohol or sugar to social media.

“It’s a really nice way of people doing something to improve their own lives by giving something up, but at the same time helping people struggling with addiction.”

Ms Mathieson said the charity uses music to create a community for people who are trying to stay sober, and allows them to learn new skills and meet new people at the same time.

She said: “Often people go in for treatment and then it’s like, what next?

“How do you stay sober?

“We have created a family where people can support each other and a community where people want to stay sober.

“People have to work very hard in order to do this, but having that creative outlet can also really help.

“Playing music with others brings a joy and a happiness that we might take for granted, but these people may not have felt for a long time.”

The charity runs the New Note Orchestra, which is the first recovery orchestra in the world.

Participants who may have experienced homelessness, social isolation or poor mental health as well as addiction can create new music alongside others, and build their confidence in a safe environment away from drugs and alcohol.

Rehearsals are held every Tuesday evening at St Luke’s Church in Old Shoreham Road, Brighton, from 7pm, and anyone is welcome to come along to improvise, or simply just listen.

Ms Mathieson said the orchestra is committed to producing high quality music.

She said: “We create our own music through improvisation, which means we can be really inclusive.

“We have some really experienced musicians and then some people who have never played before.

“Everyone is playing by ear.

“We really push the quality of the music as we spend months and months practising before we perform.”

Ms Mathieson hopes supporters will also benefit from taking part in the Warm Hearts Cold Turkey campaign themselves.

She said: “If you give up drinking for a month for example, you do feel so much better, and when you reintroduce it you can have a healthier relationship.

“We all have an addiction to something.

“It can be good to reflect on it by taking a break.”

To take the pledge to give something up this January to fundraise for New Note Projects, visit their JustGiving page at justgiving.com/newnote.