Established 2005 Registered Charity No. 1110656

Scottish Charity Register No. SC043760

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From Mozart to Madonna: The Choir with No Name sing it proud

July 07 2011
Marie Benton and the choir Marie Benton and the choir
The famous choir launches in Birmingham in September

 

The Choir with No Name (CWNN) embraces people who have experienced homelessness or any other situation that may have made them feel excluded from “mainstream” choirs.

Marie Benton established the choir in London in 2008 with the vision that its members and volunteers would support each other through tough times, and bond together over the joys of rehearsals and performance. The choir aims to build the members’ confidence and skills, and gives them a tasty meal after each rehearsal. Following the success of the London choir, the fun, inclusive environment Ms Benton built is to be repeated here in Birmingham, with our very own Choir with No Name.

On the high note of funding being granted, CWNN are able to press ahead with sourcing a suitable central venue and part-time staff to assist with establishing and managing the new Birmingham group. It is expected the group will be ready to launch in September 2011.

“We’re really excited about setting up in Birmingham and can’t wait to get started,” explains Benton. “There’s lots of exciting things coming up for us as an organisation, and we really hope to open our doors to as many singers as possible in the coming months.”

With the London choir going from strength to strength (it has featured on programmes including This Morning, and were the support act at Coldplay's Crisis gig last year), there is no better time to get singing in Birmingham.

Naz joined the choir in April 2009 and couldn’t believe the impact it had on the way he felt from day to day. “As the weeks progressed, I woke up feeling good about myself, which I hadn’t felt in a long time. I felt proud... I felt a sense of purpose and control.”

The choir aims to give members a release for their emotions, to escape the day-to-day situations and, above all, to feel accepted within a community. Clearly it achieves its goals, as Naz and the other members continue to sing its praises: “If you’re thinking about joining, just do it!”

For more information about how to get involved with Birmingham’s Choir with No Name, please contact Marie via email: marie@choirwithnoname.org

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