A few weeks ago I blogged about the challenges of trying to raise money for creative projects and offered the optimistic hope that there might still be financial ‘angels’ out there: individuals interested in supporting small-scale projects. I had been spreading the word that I was looking for patrons and was introduced by a helpful friend to a retired financial specialist, who is also an amateur musician in the true sense of the word. Over the course of a relaxed and wide-ranging conversation, I was able to explain what I am trying to achieve and he concluded the evening by offering me a significant cheque that will make all the difference.

This is seed money in every sense: the first of my projects to be fully-funded, but linked to a range of other activities. The positive uplift of getting one thing off the ground is psychological but practical too, lending credibility to everything else I am trying to develop. I know we talk on the Singing Entrepreneur Forum about sustaining a belief in what we do without the perpetual need for approval from a college, company or colleague. However, it’s undeniably a huge shot in the arm if someone puts his money where his mouth is and hands me written proof of his belief in my dreams.

I can only laugh when remembering a colleague at a recent job who announced on scanning his new e-mails that a national opera company had awarded him £5,000 for no particular reason. Not that he’d asked for it, nor had he a particular project to put it towards. Just a general donation to party funds.

Lucky chap. Thank goodness for the timely arrival of my very own financial angel.