A SCULPTOR who uses sound to form pieces of art has brought his creative spirit to a Furness School.

Pupils at Sandside Lodge in Ulverston filled their school with echoing music with the help from Carlisle-based artist Ben Gates.

Over two days, children living with a range of special needs found themselves transformed into musicians, conductors and sculptors.

Emma Ludlow, a teacher at the school, spoke about how the sound sculptures found their way to Sandside.

She said: "Our headteacher went to Muncaster Castle and Ben was there doing a performance, and she asked him to come to our school."

At Sandside, teachers are always trying to find new ways to ensure that their pupils are engaged and enjoying their learning.

Headteacher Susan Gill said: "If learning is not fun then it's not learning, but if it is fun, we'll be interested in it."

The school been trying to book Mr Gates since 2015, when Mrs Gill saw him perform at Muncaster Castle.

Initially, the school wanted to include him in their 'Sand Fest' music festival, but, due to illness, that did not materialise.

Fortunately, Mr Gates found a slot in his calendar to come along and teach the children at Sandside some new skills.

Miss Ludlow said: "This is the first time we've done something like this before."

Over the course of two days, 65 students at Sandside will take part in the music workshops.

As well as helping the children learn new skills, the school is hopeful that the exposure to music will be therapeutic as well as educational.

The idea behind Mr Gates' sound sculptures is more than 20 years in the making.

Mr Gates said: "It took a friend to say to me that I loved music as much as he loved his painting. Then it just dropped. I had my driving force to go on creating and being creative."

Putting on workshops and visiting schools was not originally in Mr Gates' plan, but he has found that it is a perfect medium to bring into environments like Sandside.

WATCH: See the pupils in action on Monday as they got to grips with the sound sculpture

He said: "At first I wasn't running workshops in schools but I found it lent itself to education.

"It always moves me when I come to special schools. There are a lot of amazing characters who have less inhibitions and they just go for it."

After a workshop indoors with Mr Gate's musical creations, pupils filed outside to make their own instruments out of garden hose, wind chimes and traffic cones.

At times, budget constraints could have jeopardised workshops like this, but with the support of the community, Sandside is able to pull through.

Mrs Gill said: "I won't say that it isn't a struggle because it is, but because of the community's support, we do find the money."

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