Independent Arts popular singing for wellbeing project, SingAbout, has celebrated two milestone birthdays over the last few weeks.
The project celebrated its tenth birthday at the end of March. Over the last ten years SingAbout has helped improve health and wellbeing and reduced loneliness and isolation through the weekly singing groups.
Reached over 600 people in last ten years
Pre-Covid 19 there were SingAbout groups running across the Island, reaching over 600 people from across the Island in the last ten years.
The groups released their own bid for Christmas number one in 2016, which featured on the BBC’s The One Show.
Griffiths: It’s open to everyone
Community Engagement Manager, Hannah Griffiths, said,
“SingAbout has been a lovely project to be involved with. We have a dedicated and talented team of practitioners who really care about their work and the group participants.
“All the groups have formed close connections and we do talk about them as the SingAbout Family.
“The wonderful thing is that SingAbout is open to everyone, it’s about singing because of the joy of it, not because you’re good at it, which makes it really inclusive.”
Virtual SingAbout
Since the Covid-19 lockdowns took hold, face to face sessions have been closed, but sessions moved on to Zoom and the singers celebrated their first year of virtual SingAbout with an afternoon of singing some favourite party hits.
Normanton: Sessions promote good lung health and a bit of escapism too
Amy Normanton, virtual SingAbout practitioner, said,
“It was lovely to have something to celebrate after a year where times have been really tough. At this time, more than ever it has been important to provide sessions that promote lung health and a bit of escapism too.
“The group have chosen all the music for the last year, we’ve sung everything from songs from Les Mis to I will walk 500 miles and much more in between.
“The important thing is we all laugh and smile all the way through. It’s been wonderful to see the virtual group thrive and grow into a really supportive community all looking out for each other and looking forward to meeting each week.
“We always finish the session with a version of ‘We’ll meet Again’, which I hope we can do very soon.”
Independent Arts are hoping to restart face to face sessions in the summer if government guidelines allow.
Find out more
To join virtual SingAbout or get information on any of Independent Arts projects please call 01983 822437 or email [email protected]
Independent Arts is an Isle of Wight charity founded in 1987, using the arts to improve wellbeing, quality of life and to reduce social isolation.
News shared by Hannah on behalf of Independent Arts. Ed
