Afrikaya drum circles take place roughly twice a month:
Pre-booking only!
Scroll to bottom of page for dates!
Afrikaya Drum Circles offer a vibrant, therapeutic and uplifting way to spend an afternoon — and every beat helps support our charity work in West Africa.
Beyond the joy of making music together, drumming has been linked to a range of evidence‑based health benefits. A well‑cited GreenMed article highlights six key findings from peer‑reviewed studies:
- Reduced blood pressure, anxiety and stress (Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine, 2014)
- Improved cognitive function (Journal of Huntington’s Disease, 2014)
- Pain reduction (Evolutionary Psychology, 2012)
- Enhanced immune response (Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine, 2011)
- Increased theta brainwave activity, supporting deeper meditation (Journal of Multiple Sclerosis, 2004)
- Support for depression and emotional regulation (Evidence‑Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2001)
Drum circles are also widely used in music therapy, including programmes supporting military veterans living with PTSD.
Join us, feel the rhythm, and help make a difference in West Africa.
30 years ago, Geoff (our main facilitator) trained with Arthur Hull who is an internationally renowned percussionist. Arthur is seen by many as the person who conceived and developed the idea of the facilitated community drum circle.
Geoff has since trained in West African rhythms with various djembefolabahs (including Naby Lebon Traore) in The Gambia.
Pre‑booking is essential.
To reserve your place, please email afrikayadrums@gmail.com.
Advance payment is required to secure your booking.
Health guidance:
If you have any viral symptoms, please do not attend.
Drum hire:
If you need to hire one of our drums, this must be booked in advance. Drum hire is £3 per drum.
Entry:
Suggested donation: £10 per person.
Family rates available on request.
Refreshments are available at a reasonable price.
When & Where
Saturdays, 2 pm – 4 pm
Coronation Hall
Alton Barnes, Wiltshire
SN8 4LB
All proceeds support Afrikaya’s charitable work in The Gambia.
Who Can Join?
Our drum circles are suitable for beginners through to intermediate players.
If you are not part of the Wiltshire Drum Circles Facebook group and do not receive our regular email updates, please email us to confirm the session is running before you travel.
What to Expect
Afrikaya Drum Circles feature:
- Hand drums, mainly African djembes
- Percussion instruments from around the world
- Any additional instruments that complement the free‑form rhythms created by the group
Come for the rhythm, stay for the community — and help support vital work in West Africa.
Here’s a recent video:
Drumming and dancing are very much linked as part of the West African culture. As well as facilitating rhythm, West African djembe rhythms and specific dances are practiced in harmony to tell a story from an African tradition.
Afrikaya drum circles are a combination of community support circles, facilitated circles, and teaching of simple West African rhythms.
Dates for 2026
January: 17, 31
• February: 14, 28
• March: 14, 28
• April: 11, 25
• May: 9, 23
• June: 6, 20
• July: 4, 18
• August: 1, 15, 29
• September: 12, 26
• October: 10, 24
• November: 7, 21
• December: 5, 19
Please note dates are subject to change, so please check with us.
AFRIKAYA - Gambian childrens' charity based in Pewsey, Wiltshire, UK. 