“How it began…”
During the first Time for Tea dance in Southway Community Centre in 2024, Nikki had a few requests for attendees to have a sing along and, as someone who fully appreciates how singing can help improve her mood and get the endorphins going, she would always welcome them to sing along with her.
As part of the Age Positive Project we were in the process of establishing a Timebank group in Southway, we had promoted and had some interest but, as there were a lot of other activities going on in the centre, it wasn’t gaining traction.
This lead to Timebank Outreach Worker Nikki initiating a conversation with Wellbeing Hub Advisor – Karen Stewart about what options were available to provide a space for the people who attend to participate in something that they were really interested in.
Karen, a keen singer herself, inquired about starting a singing group (and a history group), and although I provided information about existing soul singers and community singing groups, she said they were looking for something unique, a group focused on learning songs rather than just performing them consecutively.
And so the Glee Club was formed!
Nikki used the period over Christmas to pilot the idea as part of the Warm Spaces offer, engaging with attendees and learning who was interested. There was a fantastic response, and so they sang!
“I am disabled with arthritis in my knees but Nikki is wonderful with me, she laughs at me standing around in the background.
My daughter told me about this group and when I heard about Nikki I wanted to come along and now I am hooked.” Barbara B
“I come up from St Annes Church, I started with the Thai Chi group and I heard about the singing and thought ‘I’m your girl’. I love singing. The next thing we need is choreography! Singing is great for dementia as you are using a different part of your brain, some people living with dementia may not be able to string a sentence together, but they can sing along to songs they remember” Liz R
As the weeks have passed and the sound of our singing has floated through the building and word of mouth has spread, we have welcomed more people to the group and new members to Timebank.
Our members have a song suggestion sheet where they share the songs they want to try out. We dedicate half a session every few weeks to play those songs and practice singing them. (Singing along is quite different from performing the entire song without the original voices.) After that, we rely on good old-fashioned voting! The majority wins. Once they’ve given a song a shot, I take some time to break it down into parts, either separating male and female sections or creating harmonies or echoes. Some songs are just perfect as they are, while others are too overwhelming to sing in full, so we simplify them. I usually do this by ear, using the original track to understand the backing vocals, etc. I also like to give the guys a moment to shine (they really enjoy it) because they have a lovely sound.
“I would only sing around the house, I haven’t been in a choir before, even as a child” Sandra
“I come along to the community centre twice a week, it is really nice to meet people. I had a fall and found myself stuck at home until my daughter gave me a Timebank leaflet she picked up from here. I enjoy the singing and the group” Jean
Outreach Worker and Group leader Nikki says: “I feel incredibly fortunate to lead this session. Singing has always been a deep passion of mine, and regardless of my mood when I enter that room, I always leave feeling uplifted. Music has a unique ability to enliven a space, and singing enhances that experience; it can elevate your spirits and aid in memory retention. Sharing the joy I derive from singing with others is an indescribable feeling. Witnessing their transformation from nervous, shy individuals at the beginning to confident singers now has been a true delight, and they harmonize beautifully together. I am immensely proud of each one of them and what they have accomplished, as well as the fact that I have played a part in it! Personally, this journey has boosted my confidence in my own singing. What started as a job I enjoyed has evolved into a career I genuinely love, and I can’t envision my life without it. Even amidst the stress of wedding planning and everything else happening around us, those two hours in session feel like our own little sanctuary where we can forget our worries and simply relish the moment and the company. I’ve been told I make some amusing faces when they all get into a song, and I get goosebumps; it’s truly therapeutic!
