The People's Orchestra and The People's Show Choir Podcast, November 2025: Volunteering

Intro with Matt Ward and Chris Weber (0:00)

0:08 Matt Ward: Hi, I’m Matt Ward…

0:09 Chris Weber: …and I’m Chris Weber…

0:10 Matt: …and this is The People’s Orchestra and Show Choir Podcast. As usual, we’ll be informing you about what’s happening now, and looking ahead to what’s coming up for The People’s Orchestra and The People’s Show Choir.

0:18 Chris: This month we have an in-depth interview with our guest Alison Brinkworth, a Birmingham-based journalist whose work with The People’s Orchestra and Show Choirs has been as rewarding to her as it has been to us. And as if that wasn’t enough, we’ll be chatting about how you, Matt, came to be involved with The People’s Orchestra and Show Choirs!

0:39 Matt: Can’t wait, Chris! But before all of that, what is this month’s Musical Word of the Month?

Musical Word of the Month: cadenza (0:44)

0:44 Chris: The word of the month is cadenza. It is an improvised or written-out ornamental passage, played or sung by a soloist, usually in a free rhythmic style, and often allowing virtuosic display. During this time, the accompaniment will rest, or sustain a note or chord. An improvised cadenza is indicated in written notation by a fermata in all parts. A cadenza will usually occur over either the final or penultimate note in a piece, or the final or penultimate note in an important subsection of a piece.

Coming up (1:28)

1:28 Matt: Cheers, Chris. Last month, our choirs and ensembles returned from their much-needed summer break. Our Weston-super-Mare choir gave us an incredible performance at the Moonlight Beach Walk in aid of Weston Hospicecare, which raised an enormous £26,000 for the hospice. The People’s Show Choir Wolverhampton celebrated their second anniversary, and are looking forward to another successful year ahead under the direction of our lovely podcast favourite, Lorna Parkhouse – who also had a fantastic day with her Shrewsbury choir at Shrewsbury Pride, where the choir have become a regular feature. And we also had the successful launch of our two brand-new choirs, in Walsall and Cardiff.

Walsall members on what rehearsals are like (2:17)

2:08 Matt: I actually invited Piña Colada Girl to meet some of our new members at a rehearsal, as they got to know each other with some warm-up songs. Let’s have a listen.

2:17 “I’m a 46-year-old woman with two children who have additional needs, and I realised I’ve spent a lot of their lives doing everything for them, making sure they have lots of opportunities in life – and I realised I didn’t do anything for myself. And the advert popped up on Facebook, so I came last week, and was overwhelmed by the kindness and the welcoming environment. I’ve met like-minded people. I’ve met people I share careers and education with, but it was lovely to have something where I was with like-minded people I had something in common with – a shared interest – in an environment where I felt welcomed, and I actually felt able. It was wonderful to just stand and sing with all my heart and enjoy it. I walked out of here with a big smile on my face, which I kept until the next day, when I went to work and could tell my friends about what I’d done.”

3:15 “I originally found this group on Facebook. I’d just finished my Level 5 performing arts course, and I was looking for something in the local community where I could perform and sing, and get back to my own love of performing and being on the stage, and being with a group of people. When I first came to the doors I was really nervous – I was worried I was going to sound awful – but I was greeted with loads of smiling faces. The lady on the desk, when I first came, made a comment about my T-shirt, and it just broke the ice. I walked into the room, and there were already a few people there; I was greeted with smiling faces, everyone just happy to be there. Then, after everyone came, we went through all the warm-ups, which are just a giggle, just a laugh, and after that we just get on with singing. It’s nice just to get out of the house, get together and sing.”

4:05 Matt: Sounds like great fun. And if you’d like to join our new members at Walsall, Cardiff or any of the other 19 locations, all you need to do is visit thepeoplesorchestra.com and click on “two weeks free” to sign up for your first two weeks on us.

Little Notes from the Heart (4:29)

[Jingle: “Little notes from the heart”]

4:37 Caroline: Hello, this is Caroline from the Cheltenham Choir. I would like to send a little thank-you voice note to Chris Burgess. She has been unbelievably generous with her time to the choir, and has recently introduced teas, coffees and snacks before the start of our rehearsals, to give everyone a chance to socialise and get to know each other better. She is welcoming to newcomers and makes them feel right at home. She is friendly and dedicated, giving us all a sense of belonging to our growing choir family. Thank you for all that you do for us, Chris.

5:15 “…which is to say thank you to everybody, really, who comes every week. We all support each other. So – cheers!”

5:33 “I know it might sound cheesy to nominate your choir leader, but I do think Chris is brilliant. He puts so much effort in every week to make sure we all have a good time. You have a laugh, and you can turn up in any mood – whether you’re tired or you’ve had a bad day – and within five minutes you’re laughing and relaxed. It’s always a really good vibe. So thank you, Chris. But also Phil, from the baritones in the first row: whenever there’s a naughty innuendo, you always catch his eye with a little raised eyebrow, and it always gives us a chuckle!”

[Jingle: “Little notes from the heart”]

Guest: Alison Brinkworth (6:15)

6:17 Matt: Our guest today is Alison Brinkworth, a Birmingham-based journalist and communications expert with more than 28 years’ experience writing for national and regional media. She’s interviewed everybody from protesters on the streets to Hollywood stars, and even prime ministers. And beyond the headlines, Alison’s words are trusted by leading organisations and charities – and we’re especially proud to say that includes her work with The People’s Orchestra, helping us share our story, amplify voices in our community, and shine a light on the impact of our projects. Hey, Alison – how are you?

6:48 Alison Brinkworth: Hello! That’s quite an introduction! Hi.

6:52 Chris: You can now tell us where we were wrong!

6:55 Alison: Yeah – it’s just weird hearing other people say it! But it’s great to join you today.

7:00 Matt: It’s great to have you – lovely. I’m kind of new to TPO myself, really, as well. So tell me how you first became involved in the PR for The People’s Orchestra and The People’s Show Choir.

7:10 Alison: It was back when it was first getting off the ground, actually, in 2012. As you mentioned, I’ve been a journalist for quite a long time, but back then I wanted to take a bit of a career break, and have a go at something in a different direction – to try some public relations. But I hadn’t got any experience. I’d seen that TPO needed some volunteers, so I got in touch with Sarah, and she was like, “well, come in and do some PR for us, get some experience, put it on your CV, and see what we do”. So I started coming into the West Brom office and met her and the other volunteers. And because it was so new then, they needed a lot of promotion – so it was finding the stories that were going on, and getting them out there to the media and the public, and on websites and things.

8:07 It helped me to really get to know what TPO did – back then it didn’t have the show choirs or anything; it was just about the orchestra – and it also really nurtured my skills in a new direction, which I’m always really thankful to them for. Literally within three months, I found a job in PR. It helped me with my CV, and it helped me at interview to be able to say that I’d done it, and what it involved. TPO is so much more than just the orchestra. It really helps people with employment, and with trying to do something more with their life. And it really helped me to break out and try something new, which I did for about five or six years, before I ended up going back to journalism.

9:04 I think sometimes you’re at a point in your life where you’re not really sure where you want to go, and you feel a bit stuck. And for me, TPO was the place where they said, “well, come in and try something new”, and it made me feel quite hopeful and positive that I could have a go at it – and they were there to support me. So that’s how I first got involved.

9:30 Chris: Do you know, that’s such a recurring theme – we hear it quite a lot, and it’s so lovely. Honestly, it fills my heart hearing it from people every time. And it always seems to stem from Sarah, being really inspirational and always being ready to give people a go and try things. I would imagine that’s the kind of experience you had with Sarah at that first moment.

10:00 Alison: Yes, definitely. She was very much, “oh, you’ve got skills that we can use, and that other people can use – you’ve just got to realise them”. And at that time she was very much about coming into the office and being with other people, not just working from home, which we all do a lot more of now. When you’re around people, you pick up other things, and you realise maybe how you can help people, and how they can help you. And I think she’s always looking forward, and she recognises things in people that maybe they can’t see in themselves. I definitely felt that when I was around her, and that’s why I stayed involved with TPO. Now I do some work for them on the website and promoting things, because I’m always quite thankful. And I think this is another theme: once you’ve been involved, you feel part of the family.

11:10 Chris: Yes – that theme comes up a lot, doesn’t it? The family, all the time. And that, I think, is what makes TPO so special: that whole family theme, that community. It is more than just an orchestra. It’s more than just a choir. It’s more than an organisation. You genuinely feel like it’s a family. I think you’ve really nailed that there, Alison. That’s really what makes it so brilliant and so unique.

11:38 Alison: And because I talk to a lot of people connected to TPO to write about them, I hear that first-hand all the time. There’s somebody in the show choir who was saying how, when he goes, he leaves feeling really happy and inspired, like that’s what life is all about – he gets to socialise a bit, and feels like the music really enriches his life. And then I was talking to a girl called Farah who’s just left. She came through a Jobcentre scheme, then got part-time work with TPO, and now she’s going on to a whole new career, in a council, in procurement. She was saying that it’s because of the job schemes TPO have done that she’s now got this whole new direction, and can see a whole profession she’s going into. It’s so vast, really – like the benefits advice line they do. So it’s no wonder they’ve won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, because it’s just so extensive.

12:58 Matt: So obviously you write for the mainstream media, and you also write for the charity. Do you have to change your approach? How does it work, in terms of the content and the way you write and create things? Can you talk us through that?

13:10 Alison: Yes. Actually, it’s a bit more enjoyable when I get to write for TPO, because I guess it’s a bit like how journalism used to be, when we had lots more local papers – a bit more in-depth, and very human-led. Unfortunately, a lot of the work I do now with national and regional papers is shorter, and about getting attention. I’m not saying it’s clickbait, but it’s about celebrities, or attention-grabbing. Whereas when I write for TPO, I can do much longer pieces, and really get to the heart of things, and of the people involved – more in-depth features. I think it’s more niche, because the people reading it are involved with us, and they want to see that. So I really enjoy that side of things, because it gives me time to talk to people for a lot longer and understand where they’re coming from and how they feel – and hopefully that’s reflected in the articles as well.

14:20 Matt: It’s centred around the community of The People’s Orchestra and The People’s Show Choir, isn’t it?

14:25 Alison: Oh yeah, definitely – the community being so big within it, and with more people joining all the time. It’s quite funny, like you say, how those themes constantly come up – how instantly people feel part of a community when they start getting involved.

14:42 Matt: So, lastly: you talk about what you get from it through the work you’re doing, but what do you get from the music and performance side of it? Do you get involved in that side of things?

14:55 Alison: I’m not very musical at all! I know Chris would probably disagree – you probably think everyone can sing!

15:00 Chris: Well, yes – always! I will say, sorry, Alison: everyone can sing – just to varying degrees!

15:05 Alison: OK! So I’m not musical, but I have been to listen to the concerts. The occasions, and the venues they get – it’s just magnificent, really. Some of the best artists in the world perform at them, and they’re doing it too. And to see people’s faces, and the enjoyment and relaxation you get from music being performed live, is unbelievable. So for me, it’s all the inside of it, and just seeing how it brings happiness to other people.

15:45 Matt: I love that – fantastic. Well, thanks for the great work that you do for The People’s Orchestra and The People’s Show Choir. It’s lovely to hear about, and lovely to hear your passion as well.

16:00 Chris: And don’t forget, Alison – if you ever need a star for your next grand written piece, I am available! A moderate fee – a very moderate fee!

16:10 Alison: You’re welcome!

16:15 Matt: Well, if you’ve got a passion for writing, and would like to share your experience as a member of one of our choirs or ensembles – or maybe you’ve had the pleasure of seeing us live at one of our many events held throughout the year – drop us an email at hello@thepeoplesorchestra.com to find out how.

Chris turns the tables on Matt (16:46)

16:46 Chris: And speaking of volunteering, Matt – welcome to the show!

16:50 Matt: The tables have turned – I know it!

16:52 Chris: This has got to be a first time for you, actually being on the receiving end of the Inquisition!

16:58 Matt: Yeah, absolutely. I’ve put you through it a couple of times, Chris, so…

17:02 Chris: And this is my turn to get you back! So let me start, first and foremost: you had nothing to do with the show choirs or the orchestra. You’re not a member at all. So how did you hear about us? What made you think, “do you know, I’d love to get involved with that organisation”?

17:20 Matt: Well, I’m friends with one of your members, actually – Piña Colada Girl. She was telling me about the organisation, and how much it gives to the members who sing, and how much it gives back to the community in terms of helping people, and I just thought it was a really worthy charity to work with. And then, after meeting yourself, and meeting and interviewing Sarah, I thought, “I’m going to stick with this”. I really love this organisation.

17:55 Chris: I love that. Again, it’s another one of those recurring themes, isn’t it? As you get to know the organisation a little bit better, it just tugs at those heartstrings.

18:05 Matt: Yeah – there’s nothing that disappoints, for me. I said to Sarah before, when we were interviewing, that she’s set up a win-win-win scenario, because she’s employing people, she’s getting people back into other work, and helping people with benefits. But then, you know where that money is coming from: through the members. People are getting so much reward through being a member, singing and playing in an orchestra. And I understood that she set it up because her daughter had nowhere to play when she left the education system. I’m a musician myself too, so I think it’s such an important thing to have this community that’s there to help people be able to play music once they’ve left full-time education. So it’s a winner all round, for me.

19:00 Chris: So Piña Colada Girl must have been seeing quite a lot of amazing stuff already. Did it require a few piña coladas on your part to take her word for how good the organisation was? Or was she just genuinely really convincing? How did that go? I want to know the details, Matt – I want to know the bar, and how many you’d had!

19:45 Matt: Well, I think we’d had a good meal and a few whiskies! But no, it was actually nothing to do with that. It just sounded very wholesome. I produce, present, create, and also teach people how to make podcasts – either for their business, or just for themselves, for their own amusement – and I wanted a charity I could volunteer for, doing this work, to showcase what I was doing. This being a relatively small charity, where it seemed like all of the revenue the charity was making was being put back into the community – but also that it actually gave something to people with time, and that they were able to indulge a hobby that was so great for their mental health – was something that really won through for me.

20:40 Chris: And again, I absolutely love that story. So how do you fit all of this in? Because you’re a very busy man with your business – working with other organisations and companies, quite a lot of which I’d imagine are quite high-profile. How do you squeeze all of this in?

20:55 Matt: Well, it takes me around a day, maybe a day and a half, a month each time, which I’m willing to give. It works with my interests as well – I just make it work. And also, with you, Chris, and Piña Colada Girl doing the scripting and the production that goes into these shows, I’m not doing it alone. So it’s actually a lot of fun to do.

21:24 Chris: You mentioned earlier that you’re a musician.

21:26 Matt: I am.

21:27 Chris: Tell us a bit about that. What do you play? Where do you play?

21:30 Matt: I actually play bass guitar in a karaoke band.

21:33 Chris: Oh, fantastic – I need to know more about this! Can I just interject: the bass guitar is arguably the coolest of all instruments.

21:40 Matt: Yep – I’m doing a little hair flip here that you can’t see!

21:45 Chris: So what’s a karaoke band when it’s at home?

21:50 Matt: We have a repertoire of around 150 songs. When we play a venue, we put a menu of those songs out into the audience, and – like with traditional karaoke backing tracks – they can choose a song they would like to sing, and write it down. We then get as many of those people up onto the stage to sing with us as possible. But rather than singing with a backing track, they’re singing with a live band – which is superb!

22:20 Chris: To wrap it up, I just wanted you to sum up, if you can – not what the charity means to you, because you’ve already spoken about that and why you’re doing this – but what you’ve taken from it, professionally or personally, from doing this particular podcasting project, maybe compared to other podcasting projects you’ve done before.

22:55 Matt: I really enjoy the process of creating something from scratch, and also getting you guys more involved in it as well.

23:02 Chris: I’ve loved that, by the way.

23:04 Matt: I think we’ve all learned, haven’t we? Many of my clients come to me with a preconceived idea of what their podcast is going to be, and that’s fine – I’m very, very happy to do that. But what I love about this podcast is that I introduced the idea of a magazine show to you, and between us we very clearly determined what our drivers for the podcast are – what calls to action we want to encourage from people who are listening, whether that’s volunteering, making donations or signing up as members – and then put together, on a monthly basis, a show that supports all of those things. It’s lovely to think that each month we’ve achieved what we set out to do. That’s the joy of it for me.

23:55 Chris: I totally agree with you, Matt. You and Piña Colada Girl have really taught me a lot. I didn’t really know much about podcasts when we first started this project – you’ll remember yourselves, I had no idea what we were doing or how it was going to work! But you’ve really taught me the value of a podcast. And for me, being on this journey with you guys – the thing that’s made it so powerful is being able to get people’s stories out to the general public. The stories that people don’t know about – just being able to give those people a platform to share them – has been really wonderful.

24:41 Matt: I must say, as well, it’s been great to see you grow – from doing an interview back in January and February, to now co-hosting with me. Your skills in hosting – you’re brilliant. I’ve really seen you grow in that area over the last year, and that’s been a real joy to watch.

25:06 Chris: Cheers, Matt – I really appreciate you saying that. And genuinely, thank you for volunteering so much of your time and your expertise. I really appreciate it.

25:15 Matt: Can I just say, Chris, before we sign off, that I’d also like to give a shout-out to Piña Colada Girl, who is always sitting there in the wings while we do all of these podcasts. We really missed her for the episode when she was in hospital earlier in the summer, and her tireless work on the scripting and all of that – doing this podcast wouldn’t be possible without her.

A surprise appearance from an unexpected guest (25:45)

25:40 Chris: I totally agree with you. Actually, I’ve got a bit of a crazy idea here, because obviously she’s in the background right now – she is on all of our podcasts. Why don’t we just bring her in? Why don’t we get her to unmute her microphone and have a good chat with her? Come on, then, Piña Colada Girl – you’ll be up for that!

26:03 Oh, there she is! Hello, Piña Colada Girl! Your first name is Jen, so if you’re happy for us to call you Jen…

26:10 Jen: That’d be lovely!

26:12 Chris: All right – welcome to the podcast, Jen. I mean, you’re always here anyway – but welcome! I’m glad everybody can hear you from the background now. So, how did you get involved with The People’s Orchestra and The People’s Show Choir?

26:30 Jen: Wow. I joined the choirs because I was originally part of another choir, and I moved, and apparently this one was better! I’d been told Chris was a big draw – as I think he is for a lot of people.

26:45 Chris: Thank you!

26:46 Jen: You’re welcome! I came along for my two-week trial, like most people do, and fell in love. It was exactly what I was looking for. The spark between Chris and Anthony is undeniable – it’s not just the interplay between the two of them; it isn’t just that they’re fun – they’re also really friendly.

27:10 Chris: I was really fortunate that you joined the choir. It was when we were considerably smaller, and you do bring a certain energy and bubbliness to any room that you’re in. But I wanted to take this opportunity just to delve into something a little bit deeper, if that’s all right. I can see on your face you’re looking panicked about what I’m going to ask!

27:35 Jen: No, that’s OK.

27:37 Chris: I know a little bit about your story, and I know that it will resonate with other people who are listening. After a period of time in the choir, you came to speak to me – I remember – and you said you might have to leave, because you were going through some difficult times. And we managed to get through them. I was wondering if you’d be willing to chat a little bit about that, and maybe share what the choir meant for you at that time.

28:10 Jen: At that point in time, the choir was absolutely everything. There was a point for me when the choir was all I had. It was just me and my kids. I’d left a domestic violence relationship. I thought I would have to leave the choir, because I’d have no way of leaving my kids in the evenings to be able to come. I approached you and said, “I’m going to have to leave. It’s been amazing, and I’m going to miss it. I’m going to miss having a support network. I’m going to miss my friends. I’m going to miss having a time when I can do something for me. I’m just going to miss sitting in a room full of people and singing, and being accepted.” And you said, “no, you’re not – you’re not leaving. You’re going to bring your kids, and they’re going to come, just like my mum did with me, and they’re going to hang on to your coat, and they’re going to watch you sing, and you are still going to feel accepted, and still feel part of something. And that’s it – you’re just going to crack on.” So the next Wednesday, my kids came to choir.

29:20 And all through the summer, at every one of the performances I did, my kids came, and every little old lady in that choir made sure my kids were OK, made sure they had snacks, and made sure they weren’t running amok. And every time my kids stood up and I panicked in case they were going to disturb anyone, they all just said, “stop hovering – stop being that helicopter mum! It’s fine”. The kids were fine, and things got better. And I carried on coming, and I carried on feeling like I could get through things. Sometimes I would come and I would mime, because I wasn’t feeling OK – just having that space where I could be in that sound, and feel the energy of everyone in that room doing something together, and have you being an absolute Muppet – just being daft on a Wednesday – and being yourself, dancing around, and even you and Anthony having a fight over who got to close the curtains… That was just enough to keep me going. It really was. There were times when I thought I really wasn’t going to make it, but that was it – that was what did it. That was what kept me holding on. And you have no idea how grateful I am.

31:01 And then, when Matt said he wanted to do something for a charity, it was a no-brainer. There was no other charity that was ever going to mean more to me than this one, because it gives so much back – not just to its members, but to the community as well. It just does so much for people. When he said, “I want to find a charity”, I was like, “it’s got to be this one”. It has got to be an organisation that gives people a space and a voice, and it has got to be this one – where every single member of staff not just gives of themselves, but pulls together on event days. Watching you guys run around behind the scenes – everyone boxing on for those members – it doesn’t matter if you’re on the board of trustees, it doesn’t matter if you’re working in the office: everyone’s hauling bits of kit, lifting these massive big drums, running around like headless chickens. I’ve never seen anything like it. And then Matt was like, “how do we make it happen? How do we do more for them?” And we were like, “let’s have it – let’s do it”. And then we had this amazing conversation, sat in a bar on a rooftop terrace, and then I came to you, and you were like, “it sounds amazing – can you really pull it off?” And I was like, “of course you can – it’s Matt!” And then we started talking about it…

32:45 Matt: That’s what I was going to say – this wasn’t my story to tell; this is Jen’s story to tell. But this is part of the reason – the reason – I got involved. And everything I’ve seen in The People’s Orchestra and The People’s Show Choir since has been an absolute joy to work with. But yeah, this is what made me choose this organisation over anything else. For anybody else listening, Jen is one of my best friends, and this is how we made it happen – and this is why it’s been such a joy, because I can see how much this organisation has meant to Jen over the years.

33:25 Chris: And it’s special. I’m choked up right now. I’m really grateful that you’ve shared that, because I know there are other people out there who have so much trauma in their lives as well, and the choir is the outlet for them – where they can be themselves, and be safe being themselves, and everything else just disappears for that short period of time that they’re there.

34:05 Jen: It’s been a lifeline – for me and so many others.

34:08 Chris: Fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing that, Jen – thank you for being with us, and thank you for everything you do behind the scenes. And I promise I won’t drag you back in front of the microphone!

34:25 Matt: Back to the wings, Jen! We’re always so grateful for you being there.

What's happening in December's episode (34:37)

34:37 Matt: Coming up in October: while the rest of you are just getting over summer and starting to think about pumpkin spice lattes, our choirs and orchestras are already dusting off their Christmas jumpers and Santa hats in anticipation of our upcoming mass performances. Tickets are available now for our venues – Duke’s Hall, London; Dora Stoutzker Hall, Cardiff; Elgar Concert Hall, Birmingham; and Birmingham Town Hall – and they’re already selling fast. You can find details of where to buy them on our social media pages.

35:05 Thank you for listening to this episode of The People’s Orchestra and Show Choir Podcast – tune in again next month. Visit our website, thepeoplesorchestra.com, and follow The People’s Orchestra and The People’s Show Choir social media channels. And if you would like to find out more about how I can help you with making a podcast for your organisation, take a look at my website, audioeditingsecrets.com, and follow my social media, which is @audioeditingsecrets, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. I’ve been Matt Ward…

35:38 Chris: …and I’ve been Chris Weber…

35:40 Matt: …and thank you for listening.