Otakar Kraus Music Trust
The Otakar Kraus Music Trust (OKMT) is based in the London Borough of Richmond and was set up in 1991 by Dr Margaret Lobo, and her husband Walter, to provide music therapy for people of all ages who have physical, psychological, learning, behavioural or emotional difficulties.
Our mission is to ensure that every child and adult has access to affordable music therapy in the community, helping to improve their well-being and quality of life through creative and participatory music making.
We are based in South West London and operate from a variety of accessible venues in the London Boroughs of Richmond and Hounslow. Clients come from Twickenham, Hampton, Whitton, Teddington, Richmond, Barnes, Ham and Sheen, as well as Wandsworth, Kingston and Ealing. We work in partnership with a number of organisations at outreach projects in the area. OKMT provided over 3400 individual and group music therapy sessions for 450 people in 2022. We also promote awareness and understanding of music therapy and its healing role by providing information to music and health professionals, the media and the general public.
We Listen, Learn and Act!
We listen to the wants and needs of our clients, families, parents and carers, learn from their suggestions and then act upon them. From their feedback and our own observation, we have introduced programmes such as Music Club, OK Music School and the OK Youth Choirs. We also respond to need in the community, working with Skylarks to help children with additional needs, running groups for people with neurological conditions with Integrated Neurological Services, and for elderly people with Dementia at Homelink Respite Centre.
