Harmony Unleashed

Free Pianos at Service Areas, Elevating Your Journey with Music!

We are proud to announce that we have partnered with charity, Electric Umbrella, to bring live music to our motorway service areas.

Find the bright yellow pianos across a number of Welcome Break sites:

Welcome Break Birchanger Green on the M11
Welcome Break Leicester Forest East on the M1
Welcome Break Oxford on the M40
Welcome Break Newport Pagnell North on the M1
Welcome Break South Mimms on the M25
Welcome Break Warwick South on the M40
Welcome Break Warwick North on the M40
Welcome Break Membury South on the M4
Welcome Break Corley North on the M6
Welcome Break Keele South on the M6

which are now available for anyone to play. The initiative is part of Welcome Break's commitment to providing a range of services to enhance customers' journeys, and to supporting local communities.

Who are Electric Umbrella?

Electric Umbrella is a Hertfordshire-based charity who create amazing, live interactive music experiences with learning disabled people. In doing so, they hope to change the way the world looks at them, and others. Electric Umbrella is made up of 2,000 people, who take part in a range of co-created sessions with professional musicians and co-produce extraordinary performances in local settings.

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Where can you find the free pianos?

Currently you can find one of the beautifully bright pianos at Oxford, South Mimms, Birchanger Green, Leicester Forest East, Warwick South, Warwick North, Newport Pagnell North, Membury South and Corley North with more pianos planned to appear throughout 2024!

The pianos, which are located in the food court at the service area, have been designed and decorated by Electric Umbrella in their bright and bold signature yellow. They are accompanied by information about the charity and is there not only to provide visitors with the opportunity to enjoy live music in a unique setting, but also to raise awareness of the work that Electric Umbrella does.

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Vicki Phimister, Head of Marketing & Customer Insight at Welcome Break, said: “We are thrilled to announce our exciting partnership with Electric Umbrella to launch our new piano at South Mimms. This collaboration illustrates our commitment to developing creative initiatives that will benefit both customers and the wider community. We look forward to seeing the joy the piano will bring to customers and the team at Welcome Break. I can’t wait to see the talent playing the piano when I next pass through!”