Choir sings out to attract new members

Date published: 18 August 2010

A Choir that has been making beautiful music for more than 30 years is appealing for new members and offering its services to help others raise money.

Members of Rossendale Ladies Choir are a lively bunch and say being in the choir helps keep them young, for some, it has even been a lifesaver.

“Someone said our name sounded like posh ladies who lunch,” said chairman Janice Crowley. “Nothing could be further from the truth, we are just women who sing and enjoy the friendship that being in the choir brings.”

Primary school teacher Lynne Altham started with the choir at 16 and once she finished university and had time out for a family she returned.

“The choir is my second family,” she said. “It is the one thing in my life that I do for me and I can’t imagine not being there.”

From September, the 40-strong choir is moving rehearsals to Thursday nights to be more accessible. They currently hire a room at Haslingden Baptist Church, but are seeking alternative premises that can offer separate rooms.

Secretary Liz Tunnicliffe said: “I joined because my friends had been in the choir all the years I had known them. When I found myself on my own in life it was very hard for me and my friends suggested I join, I kept saying, ‘I can’t sing.’ I didn’t think I was good enough.”

That was nearly three years ago and Liz said she thoroughly enjoys the ‘wonderful sense of fun and laughter’ in the choir.

Besides rehearsals, concerts and singing at prestigious venues including The Royal Albert Hall and Bridgewater Hall, members enjoy an active social life.
In October a party of 43 will be visiting Rossendale’s twin town of Bocholt when they will sing in two concerts, including some songs in German.

Their repertoire includes choral and Latin pieces, along with songs from the shows, a Les Miserables medley, Bridge Over Troubled Water and My Guy.

“I can’t read music,” said Liz. “But it doesn’t matter because everyone helps one another out in the choir. So long as you can sing a note, everything else can be dealt with.”

Janice said the choir gave back to the community by holding concerts to help numerous churches, hospices and charities with fund-raising.

However, as they now have to pay for their conductor, they are also looking at fund-raising and applying for grants themselves.

Anyone who can help or is interested in joining the choir can contact Liz on 01706 229450 or email liz.t@talktalk.co.uk