Legacy
Legacy
Please note: this post is 101 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only
Every other Wednesday in 2016, a group you wouldn’t necessarily expect to mix get together to sing, chat and be merry in Peckham. Over the course of this year, hundreds of people have come along to our Peckham choir: they include a ninety-something milliner who moved to Peckham from Jamaica in the 1960s, a twentysomething model with a brilliant voice, a Millwall-obsessed seventy year old and so many more brilliant characters.
They’ve been led by some seriously impressive musicians, specialising in everything from musical theatre, pop, classical, opera and gospel: the choir’s had a go at everything! To everyone who’s led the group, helped us find venues, made endless tea and coffee, invited the group on trips, lent us their keyboard or come and had a crack at harmonies, thank you. You’ve brought hundreds of people together to share laughter and a love of music – all while tackling isolation. As Sid puts it: “I really do look forward to these evenings – singing just lifts me right up!”.
To celebrate what you’ve created we’ve put together 8 highlights from a year of Peckham choir. It’s testament to the group that we could have easily picked 58 best bits…
1. Girl band, girl power
The choir has grown in size and confidence since we started. The sense of fun, however, has been there from the beginning. At our very first session in January, Thelma, 72, put together a girl band with new friends Lara, Leighann and Ruth. A few sessions later we sang Spice Girls’ 'Say You’ll Be There' in a tribute to their girl power.
2. A family reunion
Doris, 90, contacted South London Cares back in August as she was looking to get out of the house more. She was thrilled to learn our choir took place just 5 minutes from her home, and was even more thrilled to have a chance reunion with her niece-in-law Audrey at her very first choir session.
3. A singing conductor, Hazel, joined the choir in September: "Back in the 1970s everyone in south London knew me because I worked on the buses. I was known for singing all along the number 2 route! It's been so good to come along tonight and sing with a crowd again."
4. A holiday treat: the London Philharmonic Orchestra
What did you do over the May bank holiday? Our Peckham choir enjoyed a magical trip to Royal Festival Hall. The group were blown away by the London Philharmonic Orchestra: "lovely, lovely, lovely”.
5. Throwing shapes
Choir might be all about the singing, but there’s also been a lot of dancing! Vivi and Kola’s freestyling during 'Island in the Sun' is especially memorable, and so is Sid and Carla throwing cowboy shapes that'd make even Butch Cassidy jealous (check the video here) as they sang a Calamity Jane tune.
6. Volunteers taking control: podcasts and Presley
Volunteer Chris has his own radio show on Rare FM. In March the older neighbours took it over! Chris got every member of choir to pick their favourite tune, and he then played it on his show. They chose everything from Bob Marley to Pink Floyd to Ray Charles. Listen to the brilliant podcast here.
In September, Amber, who'd been volunteering at choir since January led the choir. She taught the group Build Me Up Buttercup and an Elvis classic, and the crowd went wild.
7. The X Factor: "It's so good to be out with friends watching how TV is made, rather than being in, alone, with the TV."
In early December 14 members of our Peckham Choir descended on The X Factor. Thanks to volunteer Becky, who used to work on the show, Patricia, Gloria, Mary and co were given the VIP treatment as they watched the dress rehearsal of the live show. Glitter cannons, Dermot O'Leary and dozens of dancing Santas made for an unforgettable afternoon.
8. Birthday buzz
Almost every choir session has ended with Happy Birthday: whether it was Marguerita, 73, getting everyone to sing for volunteer Amy, or Amy leading the celebrations for Marguerita. But it was the evening when Dupe celebrated her 80th birthday with the group and rocked a baseball cap as the crowd sang Happy Birthday that was particularly special.
A big thank you to the Terra Firma Charitable Trust, whose support made a new social club in Peckham possible.
