When Gemma Brown of Altarnun started banging a drum as a child to help strengthen her weakened arm, little did she know that years later it would transform into a successful business.
Following complications during her birth, Gemma, was diagnosed with Erbs Palsy and has learning disabilities. She is also partially sighted in her right eye and has limited use of her right arm.
Gemma’s parents Ann and Stephen gave their daughter a drum to play at the age of just seven to help with building up strength in her right arm.
Her mother Ann Brown, conductor for Launceston Town Band, said: “By the age of seven Gemma had undergone multiple operations on her arm. It was weak so we gave her a drum to use as part of her therapy to build up the strength in her arm. She loved it and she’s not stopped drumming since.”
As a teenager, Gemma, who lives at home with her parents in Altarnun, attended the West of England School and College for the Visually Impaired and Blind, and it was during her studies that Ann started to consider what her daughter could do when she left education.
That’s when the idea of ‘Rhythm Sticks’ was born.
“I have always loved drumming and play every night of the week,” said Gemma. “And I’ve even got a 20ft soundproofed drum studio at home. Mum and I started to talk about how I could use my talents and whether there was a market out there to run percussion workshops for learning disabled people like me.
“We trialled Rhythm Sticks during the school holidays in the spring and summer of 2008, and the workshops were really well received.”
Gemma, who is supported by the learning disability charity Hft, and her mother then started work on turning Rhythm Sticks into a fully-fledged business, with their dream becoming a reality in September 2009.
Gemma now delivers percussion workshops across the south west.
In 2011, Gemma was awarded The Breakthrough UK Ltd, National Independent Living Award for Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year.
Between them, the mother and daughter team have amassed enough instruments for 100 people, from Cajon drums, Bia Base drums to maracas, shakers and a full drum kit.
“Gemma runs the business,” said Ann. “It’s her baby. I am her gofer essentially and there to support in whatever is needed.”
The family are all musical and perform in Launceston Town Band. Gemma plays the cornet and the trombone, despite having limited use of her right arm.
Gemma, who's a fan of country music legend Dolly Parton, says she is proud to run her own business.
“Music is my passion and my hobby,” added Gemma. “It very rewarding to be able to share it and I can see the benefit and joy the percussion workshops bring to others. I don’t let my learning disability and my physical difficulties hold me back in any way in me achieving what I want to.”