Three choirs joined together to perform Sing Out for Mental Health, and more than £15,000 was raised for MIND, Lindengate and SPACE - mental wellbeing charities working across Buckinghamshire and beyond.
The three community choirs who worked together under the guidance of Musical Director Jill Neenan were The Wing Singers, The Wendover Singers and The Wendover Singers Children’s Choir
Audience members were encouraged to wear green, the international colour for showing support of mental wellbeing, and the show was supported by sponsors Chiltern View Garden Centre, MDAT IT Solutions, Charlton Design & Build Ltd and Grundfos, the global pump manufacturer.
Daniel Davies, Senior Public Affairs Advisor at Grundfos, who have a base in Leighton Buzzard, attended the concert and said: “It was an amazing night, full of brilliant music and real energy.
“We’re proud to have supported such a special night that raised thousands of pounds for three outstanding charities and also highlighted what a positive effect singing can have on people’s mental wellbeing.
“The gala concert saw the most number of performers ever on stage at the Waterside Theatre and the sound was just spectacular.”
The gala concert was held on April 12, but members of the three community choirs are reassembling this Friday (May 2) to perform with legendary singer Aled Jones – again at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre. Tickets are available from £22.16, and can be booked at: atgtickets.com/shows/aled-jones-full-circle/aylesbury-waterside-theatre/
Sing out for Mental Health was hosted by local TV and radio presenter Andy Collins and the choirs were supplemented by professional singers Daisy Amphlett, Jim Aldcroft, David Rhys and Rebecca Izard.
Speaking before the gala concert, Jill said: “My hand-picked guests are at the top of their game and bring an incredible and versatile combination of stunning vocals, polished musicianship, and breath-taking musical theatre performances .
“I am so excited to perform together with them and can’t wait for us all to be on stage, together with Andy and my choirs, for a magical evening of uplifting music and song, raising funds for fantastic charities.”
Songs performed on the evening included pop pieces, musical theatre, and popular light classics, including You Raise Me Up, You’ll Never Walk Alone, Electricity, Panis Angelicus and many more.
Daniel added: “We were aware of the gala concert as Victoria Mulford, our Operations Manager, sings in one of the choirs. The evening was chosen for sponsorship following a vote with our senior leadership team and our works council.
“Mental health is something Grundfos has been actively working on for many years. With more than 20 qualified mental health first aiders, and a qualified counsellor within our business, we aim to create a culture where employees can seek support without fear of judgement. We’ve even created a meditation room for our employees.
“So the gala evening aligned perfectly with our values and we were delighted to co-sponsor the event and also help with the production of the programme.”
Founded in January 2015, The Wing Singers is a community choir open to all ages and all levels of ability, from absolute beginners to confident and able singers, and has more than 100 members.
Wendover Singers Community Choir was founded in 2020 and is also open to all ages above seven years old. The choir has 100 adult members, with a separate Children’s Choir with more than 20 regular members.