Music Makers hits the right note with second consecutive award win

On Thursday 16 July 2026, Music Makers, a local independent business providing music and movement sessions for children aged 0–4, was voted 'Best Kids Activity' for the second year in a row at the Northants Life Awards 2026.

Northants Life is an online publication created by Dave Williams, sharing local news, events and stories from across Northamptonshire through its website and social media channels. The Northants Life Awards were created to celebrate the county's best businesses and services. The awards run over a three-month period, culminating in the top five (or six) nominated businesses in each of the 20 categories progressing to a public vote. Winners are determined through a balanced, community-driven process consisting of 50% public votes and 50% votes from a judging panel made up of sponsors and industry peers.

Hosted for the third year at Chester House Estate, the Northants Life Awards 2026 brought together more than 340 people for a unique outdoor, festival-style celebration, where runners-up and winners were announced across categories ranging from Best Trades to Best Charity/Community Group.

After accepting the award on Thursday evening alongside her good friend and colleague, Beth Milne, Jenni Drewery, who has proudly owned Music Makers for the past seven years, said:

"We are absolutely thrilled and honoured that Music Makers has been awarded Best Kids Activity for the second year running!"

Music Makers stands out through its original music catalogue, inclusive mixed-age class structure, and the depth of connection it builds with families. Sessions are centred around unique, high-quality music, including three albums to date featuring 17 original songs and 47 reimagined traditional songs and rhymes, which have now been streamed more than 330,000 times worldwide.

Each song has been thoughtfully crafted to support early childhood development by fostering essential skills such as language acquisition, motor control, coordination and emotional expression. The music is not only fun and engaging but is also carefully composed to encourage bonding, spark creativity and build confidence as babies and young children explore the world around them through music.

The mixed-age approach at Music Makers helps siblings bond through shared experiences, encourages peer learning, and creates consistency that supports confidence and social development. One parent said:

"Music Makers is by far our favourite part of the week and is the only family activity class I've found that is genuinely suitable for both my one-year-old and my four-year-old. They've grown in so much confidence."

Jenni and Beth, together with their friendly lion mascot, Simba, who also attended the awards ceremony, are committed to ensuring that everything they do centres on joyful, developmentally rich experiences that stay with children long after each session ends.

This commitment is reflected in the number of families who return week after week. Although this time of year is always bittersweet, as many of the oldest—and often longest-attending—children move on to start school, the relationships built over those early years remain incredibly special. One family, after attending regularly for four years, wrote:

"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything. You've filled our hearts with so much happiness and given us some amazing memories which we will treasure forever."

Since winning the award for the first time last year, the team has achieved everything it set out to accomplish in the twelve months that followed, including doubling its provision for local childminders and nursery settings, where their music specialism and flexible approach ensure meaningful engagement with both children and staff.

Jenni also now proudly delivers intergenerational sessions in partnership with two local childminders and a residential care home. Laura Sharp, of Little Sharp Minds, said:

"Music Makers provides a fun way for children to express themselves. Holding them in a local care home makes them even more meaningful. It creates a warm and special environment where the children and residents can join in, sing along and connect. It's lovely to see the joy on everyone's faces - young and old alike - as they share in the music together."

For Jenni, it's simply "pure magic!"

Album number four is currently in production and is due for release later this year. Music Makers is also taking bookings for its special summer sessions, as well as for the new term beginning in September.

"We never take a single day doing this job for granted," says Jenni. "We're only here, doing what we do, because our wonderful Music Makers community keeps coming to see us. The love and support you've shown us has been overwhelming."

Jenni, Beth and Simba look forward to welcoming many more local families into the Music Makers community.