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Daisy Saul

Harmonising Hope: Celebrating The Choir With No Name for World Homeless Day

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I had my first encounter with The Choir with No Name at the historic Brighton Dome in December 2021. The softly illuminated auditorium set the scene for the ‘Big Christmas Sing-Along’ and the 1,700 velvet-seated theatre buzzed with eager attendees.

Growing up, my perception of choirs was heavily influenced by the movie ‘Sister Act,’ where the incredible Whoopi Goldberg transforms a convent choir into a soulful ensemble with a Motown repertoire. However, my own choir experiences were far from glamorous, often involving shivering in cold C of E churches on creaky pews while singing from dusty hymnals. There were exceptions, like the joyous visits of my school choir to homes for the elderly at Christmas, where we sang festive carols and were fed free chocolates—memories I hold dear.

The Choir with No Name is the Brighton arm of a UK-based charity dedicated to creating supportive and inclusive singing communities for people who have experienced homelessness and social marginalisation.

Under the dynamic guidance of vibrant Choir Director Freya, the stage came alive with a spirited ensemble of singers of all ages and backgrounds, sporting festive hats, glitter, tinsel, and matching t-shirts. Their enormous smiles filled the auditorium as they sang Christmas carols and popular hits with heartfelt passion. The performance included courageous solo acts from untrained singers, guest appearances, and inspirational stories along the way.

The ‘audience participation’ aspect, which had filled me with apprehension, quickly transformed into an overwhelming desire to stand up and join in. I waved my song sheet enthusiastically as the entire auditorium resonated with the choir’s infectious positivity, weaving a symphony of resilience and hope.

My next encounter with the Choir took place at St. Luke’s Church in Prestonville, a well-known community hub for Brighton’s charitable organisations. It was during a crowdfunding event for ‘Making It Out,’ a project aimed at raising funds for a public sculpture commemorating those who lost their lives while experiencing homelessness. The choir’s performance felt like a celebration of the transformative power of music, but it also carried the weight of a sombre tribute.

Ess, a choir member who had played a significant role in supporting the project, shared a deeply moving story of a friend she had lost to homelessness during her youth. Her heartfelt narrative set the stage for the choir’s performances, which included a stunning and tear-jerking rendition of Snow Patrol’s ‘Run’ and an uplifting take on Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now.’ These performances, punctuated by soulful solos, served as a poignant reminder that even in the face of life’s challenges, hope shines through.

Members consistently describe their group as ‘family.’ Despite the diverse life experiences and unique journeys that each member brings, they came together to cherish one another’s company, seek solace and immerse themselves in a community that embraces every individual without judgement.

The Choir With No Name extends its impact far beyond the realm of singing, hosting weekly rehearsals accompanied by nourishing meals and organising community singing workshops specifically for those facing the threat of homelessness.

One individual who attended a session we conducted with Voices in Exile said “I wish we could do this more often! I believe this is a perfect way to enjoy ourselves and improve my English skills.”

Music, in this context, acts as a potent catalyst for enhancing the well-being of its members who report elevated feelings of belonging, self-worth, joy, and resilience.

In my frequent interactions with choir members during various events, I’ve come to realise that they are all deeply dedicated to advocacy efforts aimed at raising awareness about homelessness and related social issues. Their courage in confronting adversity and taking the stage, often without any formal training, serves as an inspiration for me to confront my own fears.

Tickets are now on sale for this year’s Christmas sing-along at the Dome. Expect Christmas classics, plus guest appearances from soul sensation Alice Russell and the Hullabaloo Quire.

We are proud supporters of all the groups mentioned, and you can find links to their projects here.

Making It Out

Choir with No Name

Voices In Exile

St Luke’s Church

Movingsounds and the Power of Music

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Older people have been by far the hardest hit by the covid pandemic. Almost eight out of nine deaths involving Covid in England and Wales have been among the over-65s, and that’s before you even consider the mental health effects of months and months of fear, shielding and isolation.

A CIC called Movingsounds has set out to tackle isolation and loneliness through music. Throughout lockdown members of Movingsounds have gathered outside community centres, homes and in gardens’ to perform to older people who have had no social contact for months. Participants have described it as ‘truly joyous and emotional’.

Movingsounds is grounded in the belief that ‘Creativity has the power to benefit all’. Facilitators organise and run arts-based workshops that bring multiple well-being benefits…‘They energise everyone and open up new possibilities for a better world’.

Now that some restrictions have been lifted we were finally able to visit a Movingsounds workshop at the Chapel Royal in Brighton, which is home to The Hop 50+ café and centre with over 1,000 regular customers. Participants have described it as their ‘lifeline’.

The workshop was facilitated by one of the founding directors Keith Ellis and professional performer Mike Potter. From the moment we arrived Mike and Keith radiated warmth and energy. Mike with his welcoming eyes and Keith with his gold shoes and a metallic gold shirt, they welcomed us all in with huge smiles.

Many members of the group had problems with memory and mobility making it a seemingly possible task to get everyone up on their feet, however by the end of the hour session everyone was up, singing along and playing music with the energy of children in a school playground. It was beautiful, moving and energising.

Keith and Mike intuitively understood when to get the audience participating and when to just let us enjoy their performance. One of Keith’s opening lines was ‘Let’s make the most of this experience of being alive’.

They guided the group through an ensemble of tunes from traditional english ballads, jazz classics and a rendition of Cab Calloway’s Hi-De-Ho. They gave everyone percussion instruments to perform with and even the shyest were gently encouraged to play. By the end of the session everyone was performing together with surprisingly impressive results.

It’s hard to put into words how this experience made me feel. I felt a twinge of sadness for those that had been so isolated in lockdown and a bit angry that there isn’t more being done to protect the arts and support the people who use their skills to do such life changing work. But mostly I felt honoured and grateful for the opportunity to be part of something so positive and to be able to connect with all of these people through music.

It’s rare for someone not to have felt the life enhancing benefits of music but to those who have been stuck in isolation over the last year or so it can be even more magical. Studies show that listening to music provides many health benefits besides mood elevation, including pain reduction, stress management, improved sleep quality, increased IQ & mental alertness and this is even more prevalent in the elderly and people living with dementia. The Movingsounds workshop was living proof of this.

We must continue to ensure the arts are funded so that groups like Movingsounds are able to continue their great work in communities benefiting audiences one song at a time.

The Bevy’s ‘Meals on Wheels’

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The Bevy is a pub in the heart of Moulsecoomb in East Brighton.  But it is far more than Just a pub.

In 2010 the original Bevendean pub was closed down by the local authorities because of anti-social behaviour. Prior to this it had been a part of the community since 1937.

Since then the pub has been completely refurbished and reopened with funds raised by some extremely committed residents who breathed new life into it. It is now a pub and cafe and has become a hub for multiple local charities, community groups, lunch clubs and in general a place for all locals to get together. It is now a community venture, run by local people for local people and it is the first ever community pub on a housing estate in the whole of the UK.

‘Meals on Wheels’, one of the Bevy’s latest projects was launched within 24 hours of the pub’s closure on March 17th 2020 due to Covid. By the following Friday, 17 hot meals had been rolled out to vulnerable people all over Moulsecoomb and the service has been growing ever since, continuing throughout the lockdowns to deliver hot meals to peoples’ door steps several times a week.

The service has allowed a team of volunteers to check in on people, have a chat and run any errands that might need doing. Helen Jones, a founding member and integral cog of the Bevy described it as a ‘melting pot’. On arrival we were greeted with smiles from volunteers from all different ages and backgrounds, including Helen’s own young lodger who had been assigned with and was fully embracing the role of coordinating deliveries. Helen explained that they were managing to feed a lot of people who usually attend their lunch clubs.

Whilst some pay for the Meals on Wheels service, the Bevy itself subsidises the cost of the meals to those who can’t afford it.  Head Chef, Catherine runs a team of volunteers to cook up delicious, nourishing meals alongside volunteers and learners from St John’s College. St John’s is a specialist school and college in Brighton which works with young people who have complex learning disabilities, helping them to prepare for their young adult lives.

Pubs play such a vital role in the community. At a time when English pubs are in decline, the Bevy offers a refreshing new model.  Even in the face of Covid the team at the Bevy have found a way to bring an otherwise fragmented community together and really have helped combat isolation and loneliness among Moulsecoomb’s residents. It offers inspiration at a time when we all need it most.

Enjoolata has proudly supported the Bevy with a Community Grant.

If you live in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, have been told not to or cannot leave your home and would like to receive one of these meals, or know someone who would then please phone The Bevy on 01273 281009

Any profits made from the Pub/Cafe go directly back to the community. To donate to the Bevy click here.  https://www.thebevy.co.uk/donate/

Making it out’s ‘Stop Sign Memorial’

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Making It Out’s tagline is ‘Creative alternatives to repeat offending’. At their Portside workshop the team design and make furniture, installations and a range of products from small scale pieces to larger public art installations. The difference between MIO and a normal workshop is that the charity only works with people who have come from or are in the prison system. The outcome is a space where participants can access job opportunities and learn and grow in confidence in a creative and supportive environment.

I visited the MIO workshop at Portside Studios in Portslade on a scorching summer’s day in May. The output of the workshop spilled out onto the pavement;  its large wide open doors lined with murals and artwork made by participants revealing a hive of activity.

I met Founders Lucy and Mark and Ess, who Mark had met through the Choir with No Name – a Brighton choir consisting of people who have experienced Homelessness.

Ess has been coordinating and developing the ‘Stop Sign Memorial’ project since the beginning of lockdown. Through the ‘Stop Sign Memorial’ project, Making It Out are co-creating a large sculptural artwork to commemorate people who have lost their lives whilst homeless in Brighton and Hove.

It is important for the team that the artwork belongs to the people it will mean the most to. So they are inviting only people who have experienced homelessness either themselves or through loved ones to participate in the design and manufacture of the artwork.

Currently in its early stages, packs are being distributed to participants who are being invited to share drawings, write and even make small clay models about their experiences of homelessness.

One participant drew a picture of a disabled toilet key referring to it as ‘the key of life’, and then went on to describe how ‘you have to drink and take drugs to get through the night, noise and cold’ and in another account someone talked about how their friend had died of a drug addiction.

Even in its early stages the project offers a valuable insight for all of us who haven’t experienced homelessness into what life can be like on the streets.  It also has the potential to give a necessary and important platform to those who often find themselves without a voice and become a physical living memory of those who have been lost.

I met Omar, who was participating in the Stop Sign Memorial and had also been visiting the workshop regularly for several months. Omar was in the process of creating an incredible wooden board game called a Carrom board, which is native to his home country of Zimbabwe.  It appeared really important to him and it felt very special that Omar had a space where he could create and manufacture objects that connected him to his roots and reminded him of a country that he had not visited for many years.

In the art room I was shown other striking pieces, beautiful self portraits and a powerful clay sculpture of a heart wrapped in barbed wire that had been started in prison and had the barbed wire added at a later date.

Making It Out directly challenges the stigma associated with prison and homelessness by simply producing great quality work and thought provoking, interesting art that really captures the collective voice of the outsider.

The Stop Sign Memorial project was funded by an Enjoolata Community Grant. To find out more about Making It out and the Stop Sign Memorial project visit – makingitout.co.uk