Charity’s Sing for Life choir returns after two-year break to perform annual festive fundraiser.
A community choir for people living with cancer are getting ready to perform their festive fundraising concert in Belfast.
Cancer Focus NI’s Sing for Life Choir have been presenting the popular annual event since 2012 – and would be celebrating 10 consecutive years if not for the pandemic.
Two years of lockdown may have caused a hiccup in the run but has not diminished the enthusiasm of the choir who are set to return to the stage later in the month with a special performance compèred for the evening by Seamus McKee and including guest performances by Belfast Guitar Orchestra & vocal ensemble Landless.
The choir, which consists of 100+ members, meet weekly at St Brigid’s Parish Hall to rehearse and it provides members living with cancer the chance to meet others in a similar situation in a friendly, supportive environment. In recent years, the choir has performed all over Northern Ireland and beyond. However, this Christmas they will be returning to their spiritual home and will be performing a special concert at Fisherwick Church situated on the Malone Road.
Speaking about the Christmas concert, Liz Atkinson, Choir Chair, said:
“This year is a big year for the Sing for Life Choir as we are celebrating our 10th Anniversary. Our choir members are living with a cancer diagnosis, so are particularly vulnerable to the covid virus. Covid therefore had a major impact on the choir as we were unable to meet face to face for 2 years. However not to be beaten, the spirit and dedication of the choir lived on as we met each week for choir rehearsals and ongoing support, using Zoom. We returned to full rehearsal after Easter this year and have been working hard in preparation for performances including this special Christmas Concert in Fisherwick.
The choir is much more than a choir as it is a major support group for people impacted by cancer and has had such a positive effect on so many people. Research has clearly shown the benefits of singing and choral singing and each of our choir members has their own story to tell in testimony of how the choir has helped them cope with the impact of cancer on their lives.
The Christmas Concert helps us to raise awareness of the importance of the choir as well as Cancer Focus NI and the support services it provides for cancer patients and their families. It also helps us to raise vital funds to secure the ongoing future of the Sing for Life Choir”
The festive concert will be taking place at Fisherwick Presbyterian Church, Belfast, on Tuesday 20th December from 7.45pm to 9.45pm.
Tickets for unreserved seats are £10 and are available from https://cancerfocusni.org/event/christmas-concert/
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