SFE Fundraising Manager, Sarah Caldwell, shares the latest news and achievements of Birmingham Inclusive Choir, including some lovely parent feedback.
Birmingham Inclusive Choir, run by Services For Education (SFE) with support from the national charity Soundabout, seeks to remove barriers for children and young people with severe and profound learning disabilities, enabling them to participate in music and singing activities.
Monthly face-to-face sessions take place at the Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) during term time and are led by a team of experienced musicians from SFE and Soundabout. Every session is fun and engaging, with participants taking part when and how they want to, in ways that suit their needs and abilities.
We have welcomed new members to the group this year, which has been great to see, and we regularly see wider family groups and siblings join the activities, adding even more enjoyment to sessions. The group has grown in confidence and have really enjoyed getting to know each other and performing together.
A wide variety of songs in the repertoire means everyone has a favourite, and Emily, Martin and Helen, who facilitate the group have loved seeing individual characters shine through.
Like last year, the group enjoyed taking part in our Outdoor Music Festival alongside some of our Music Ensembles in May. Members took to the stage with confidence and pride, and smiled throughout their performance, with the audience beaming back and cheering along – it was a great feeling, especially for those who were not involved last year. It also offered the opportunity for more of their loved ones to see the choir in action.
As always, feedback from those involved in the group has been incredibly positive:
‘Archie has made friends in the choir and looks forward to seeing them every month. He seeks both people and music and loves live music. Having Helen on keyboard and Martin walking around with his guitar makes sessions extra special.’ Parent of Inclusive Choir Member.
‘Music can do so much for so many. Choir reaches my son in different ways each time, but he always has a smile on his face by the end of the session, and we enjoy taking part as a family’. Parent of Inclusive Choir Member.
‘As a parent, I look forward to sessions. They are so joyful and uplifting. I’ve made friends too and we routinely go for lunch together after sessions now’. Parent of Inclusive choir member.
‘This year has been full of smiling faces as our choir community have really got to know one another. We now have a solid group of “regulars” who are excited to see one another each week but are welcoming to new members too. Our members have grown in confidence and have a really good understanding of “performance” now and change how they present themselves when an audience is present. The SFE performance was a delight to be part of and gave our participants so much accolade – they were able to appreciate the music they were making and the impact it had on the crowd.’ Emily, Soundabout Music Practitioner
We are looking forward to next year’s sessions, which commence in September, and hope to be able to deliver some special sessions during the year too.
We would like to thank everyone who made this year’s sessions possible as well as The Mercian Trust, Grantham Yorke Trust, D’Oyly Carte Trust, Lillie Johnson Charitable Trust, Lord Mayor of Birmingham Charity and Costco for donating towards next year’s project costs.
Support Our Birmingham Inclusive Choir
Our Birmingham Inclusive Choir sessions cost around £15,000 a year to run and are only possible thanks to our fundraising efforts. If you would like to find out more and to support our Birmingham Inclusive Choir, click the button below.
FIND OUT MORE AND DONATE TODAYAbout the Author
Sarah Caldwell – Fundraising Manager, Services For Education
Sarah Caldwell joined Services For Education in Summer 2023, bringing with her over 14 years fundraising experience. Working in the Birmingham charity sector, she has raised valuable funds for a range of projects impacting the day to day lives of young people with disabilities.
Sarah has experience across a number of fundraising streams (including Trusts & Foundation, Events and Corporate Fundraising), and brings this, along with a strong interest in building relationships with supporters, to her role at SFE