Choir’s new Community Fund raising thousands for good causes at ‘brilliant’ nights out
Laughter rings around the hall and choir members can’t resist getting up on their feet to dance to The Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive. Rehearsals are fun but this latest People’s Show Choir(TPSC) event is cementing friendships on another level – in the spirit of goodwill.
Charity is at the heart of everything The People’s Show Choir(TPSC) does and its kind-hearted singers are now spreading the love even further through its new Community Fund. And the pleasure of it all is plain to see.
TPSC – part of The People’s Orchestra(TPO) family – is a charity in itself. When new members join, they soon get to hear about how it not only runs schemes to train young unemployed jobseekers with skills they need to find work, but also tackles social isolation and loneliness through music.
That makes being part of TPSC all the more rewarding but it doesn’t stop there.
The West Bromwich-based national music organisation has stepped things up another level, by giving back to those that need it most. They are helping other good causes during this difficult financial period of high energy prices and the cost of living, when money is tight across the board.
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The newly launched Community Fund sees Show Choirs take it in turn to raise money for those who need it. Struggling people or groups that can receive small grants of between £50 and £500 to help them pay for essentials or help them through a crisis.
Fundraising for the Community Fund is proving an irresistible challenge for the singers as we found out.
TPSC for Halesowen and Shrewsbury were the first two choirs to get involved, holding fundraising events throughout May and June.
Community Engagement Manager Chris Weber said excited members of Halesowen TPSC set themselves a target of £1,500. Their many fundraising events had ranged from raffles to a fun rehearsal singing in their brightly coloured pyjamas, which alone brought in over £300.
There were plenty more laughs while raising money with a game of Russian fudge roulette in one of their choir rehearsals. Everyone had a bite together but one unlucky person got caught out with the chilli fudge.
But the most fun of all was a Bonkers Bingo Night including an auction and plenty of dancing and singing along the way – raising a further £700. The fundraising activities have not only helped bring in much-needed cash for local good causes but brought members closer together.
Aside from the regular singing rehearsals, they’ve been swept up in the feel-good spirit of planning events and working together on a worthy project.
Chris Weber explained: “The show choirs are made up of lovely people who like to get involved in things.
“The People’s Orchestra family, including The People’s Show Choir, is a charity organisation and members are aware of that and how being charitable is central to what we do. Each choir is now doing two months of fundraising in turn for good causes.
“It’s been wonderful to see how much these first choirs in Halesowen and Shrewsbury have enjoyed it and got fully involved.
“In Halesowen, they raised hundreds of pounds doing a variety of bonkers and fun events during their rehearsals and continued to raise more with the Bonkers Bingo night at Somers Social Club.
“It really was a brilliant night of bingo and laughs. The dancing was contagious and the fun was endless. It’s what this Community Fund is all about.”
Those going along couldn’t agree more. Kay Churchill described it as a “brilliant night out with our choir family” while Denise Price added how it was “great fun” and she had a “fantastic time”, saying: “It was a fantastic result” for the good causes.
Irene Kaz was delighted too: “What a party. It was warm but great fun.” While Cheryl Whittle looked forward to more: “Had a fantastic night, you must do it again.”
While over in Shrewsbury, TPSC choir members were just as busy. They invited close friends and family to a rehearsal with a raffle and treats, raising over £700 at the one event.
At another of their weekly sessions on Tuesday nights at Church of the Holy Spirit in Shrewsbury, all the choir members wore green – even one in a full frog outfit – before having a cake sale. That raised £145 alone.
Shrewsbury’s Show Choir has been going strong for four years and the fundraising efforts are just one of the many highlights of their time together.
“We have done some amazing things together, memories have been made, friendships and bonds have developed and we have grown into a wonderful family,” said TPSC Shrewsbury, reflecting on their time so far.
The Community Fund allows choir members to pick which good causes they would like to donate to, choosing something or somewhere that is important to the members. It’s also adding even more fun and camaraderie to this warm, friendly family of show choirs.
If you would like to get involved in one of The People’s Show Choir, you can find the nearest one to you across the UK at the website here. They span from Scotland to York, the Midlands, South West and London. There’s no auditions and new members can try it out for free at two sessions. Rehearsals are every week during term time.
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