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A Night of Music, Community, and Giving: Thank You for Your Support

An article by choir member, Sally Flint.

Earlier this year, members of our choir were asked to nominate charities to support this Christmas, and we were proud to select two local ones—Scunthorpe Samaritans and Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance. These organisations share a common, valuable purpose in protecting health—one focused on mental well-being and the other on physical emergencies.

As an advocate for Samaritans, as well as a proud member of our choir, it brings me joy to reflect on how the Carols at All Saints' event brought together music, community, and generous giving. Together, our fundraising efforts have raised well over 500 pounds, which has been shared between the two charities. Your generosity has made a profound difference to both organisations. All of us at Saints' Singers are enormously thankful for your support. 

Scunthorpe Samaritans

As a volunteer with Scunthorpe Samaritans myself, I’ve seen firsthand the deep impact of their work, and I was thrilled that this was selected as one of our Christmas charities this year. Charities for our events are chosen with care, aiming to reflect both the needs of our local community and causes close to our hearts. Samaritans provide an essential lifeline to people in distress, offering a listening ear and a sense of hope. In many ways, our choir’s music echoes that same message—offering a moment of comfort and connection through song. The Scunthorpe Samaritans branch relies on the generosity of our community to sustain their work, and knowing that our choir’s performance and your donations contribute to keeping this vital support available fills me with immense gratitude. Thank you.

Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance

The Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance has a skilled team that brings emergency medical care directly to those in urgent need, day or night. Their ability to operate 24/7 without government or NHS funding is a testament to their dedication and efficiency. Through your generosity, we are helping this remarkable service remain ready to respond—whether at a roadside, a beach, or in the countryside. Both physical and mental health are essential, and the work of these two charities reflects the importance of supporting well-being in all its forms.

A Joyful Performance and Shared Experience

Carols at All Saints' brought together music, history, and community in the stunning Winterton Church. Standing in the nave, a setting steeped in tradition and reverence, we felt like choristers of old, our voices ringing out beloved carols. The timeless surroundings and the joy of singing together created a direct link to centuries of festive tradition. The connection between our choir’s fundraising efforts and our performance shone through during the concert, as the evening beautifully reflected the very values these charities uphold.

When the spotlight was on us, we performed a joyous blend of tradition and innovation. From the uplifting harmonies of The Holly and the Ivy to the lilting charm of Sussex Carol, we brought the nativity story to life with a vibrant mix of carols and secular songs. Emma and Kay added a magical touch on the bells, making While Shepherds Watched/Sweet Bells an unforgettable highlight. Our fresh take on Alan Wood’s arrangement of Away in a Manger had the audience spellbound, while the timeless allure of White Christmas left us all dreaming  of snowy festivities.

The vicar reminded us that whether we are Christians, followers of other faiths, or simply seekers of goodwill, the Christmas message is universal: a call for hope, love, and unity. As I’ve written before, and truly believe, moments of shared music are more than just performances—they are a celebration of the season, community, and, in this case, the values of Christmas: hope, love, generosity, and unity.

Together, Saints’ Singers supported two incredible charities during our carol concert. We celebrated the power of music and strengthened the bonds that make our community so special. Thank you for your support.

Each year Saints’ Singers raises money for a charity at their Christmas performances. This year we’ve chosen to support the brilliant work of two local charities - Scunthorpe Samaritans and Nottinghamshire & Lincolnshire Air Ambulance. 

The local Air Ambulance are a helicopter based emergency service and their team of doctors and paramedics carry life-saving equipment on board both their helicopters and critical care cars which means that they can take an emergency department directly to the scene of some of the most serious incidents across Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire. They attend on average four incidents a day yet receive no financial support from the government or the NHS towards their running costs. Find out more about their life-saving work here: https://www.ambucopter.org.uk/what-we-do/

At Scunthorpe Samaritans, they are dedicated to providing vital support to individuals who are feeling upset, overwhelmed, or struggling to cope with life's challenges, including those experiencing suicidal thoughts. Their commitment to helping others is reflected in the fact that Samaritans' answer a call every 6 seconds and respond to thousands of emails every year. Find out more about their work here: https://www.samaritans.org/branches/scunthorpe/

Your donations to these brilliant causes would mean a lot to us - and if you’d prefer to donate offline, we’ll have our fundraising buckets out at our performance on the 17th December!

The link to our JustGiving page for online donations to the local Air Ambulance is here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/saintssingers-christmas2024

The link to our Enthuse page for online donations to Scunthorpe Samaritans is here: https://samaritanscommunity.enthuse.com/pf/saintssingers-christmas2024

  

One of our sopranos, Sally, has written a brilliant account of Saints'  Singers 2024 concert - Songs from Stage and Screen. 

It was Saturday, 13th July, and as I walked into Winterton Church to take part in our final rehearsal before the evening's concert - Songs from Stage and Screen - I looked around. Cameras were being set up, microphones tested, the raised podium and musical stand height adjusted. Spirits were high. It felt good. 

I took out my lyric sheets—worth having a final run-through of the words…just in case! I was fairly confident I knew them. I really ought to—our concert tunes had been the sole playlist allowed in the car for at least the last two months—well, that and our teachtracks! If I didn’t know the words, the rest of my family definitely did. 

The camaraderie of a group of women with a shared passion, mutual respect, and a sense of purpose is formidable. I was glad to be part of this group. As our truly outstanding musical director blew into her trademark pitchpipe, we took our places. We were ready. Ready to rehearse, ready to remember the lyrics, ready to reach the stars with song. 

I had expected the rehearsal to feel a little fraught, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Elisabeth reminded us of how hard we had worked, how as individuals we were amazing, but how as a collective we were unstoppable. As we relaxed into the music, accompanied by Jean, the most talented and accommodating pianist this side of the moon, the true purpose of a community choir became clear to me. It wasn’t just about making great music but was about feeling connected, having fun, and belonging. It was about synergy. 

And that was just the rehearsal … 

Elisabeth’s consistent, supportive, and motivating teaching had paid dividends, and the actual concert was wonderful. Singing to a packed audience, we raised the roof. I’m not sure I’ve ever been part of a performance with standing room only before! 

Each of our songs received exceptional introductions from various choir members, adding depth, context, and a touch of humour! This set the stage for the diverse array of songs from stage and screen that we delivered. Who would have thought we’d be able to conquer the three-part harmonies to produce the sinister sounds of Skyfall, or create the uplifting tone that reached the sky in Let’s Go Fly a Kite? Contrast this with the power and poignancy of Stephen Schwartz’s Beautiful City, focusing on community and redemption, and the hope captured in the richness of the crescendos and decrescendos of Somewhere—you can see that we had a heady mix. We certainly didn’t feel blue as we sang Super Trouper; we delighted in the sound we made and relished the additional depth our fantastic guest musicians, Toby Jacklin and Lisa Oliver on bass guitar and drums, created. 

And what a lot of compliments we received! From the understated “Wow, I didn’t expect that” from one of our singer's sons as he grinned from ear to ear, to the “You sounded really good” (praise indeed from another singer’s dad—a man of few words), to the numerous enthusiastic “You all absolutely smashed it!”—we loved them all! And then there was the pensive and thoughtful man at the back of the hall: “I’ve never been before, but I’ll be back.” Could he have been a talent scout from the X Factor?! 

Elisabeth perhaps doesn’t know this, but when she is particularly pleased with something we’ve done, she gives an almost imperceptible extra-half smile; it shows in her eyes as much as her mouth. Elisabeth smiled a lot. And, as we sang For Good, it felt good to have made both her and our supporters in the audience proud. The youngsters would say it was ‘Wicked’. 

Inevitably, all good things must come to an end, and our concert was no exception. Yet, as we wrapped up with a heartwarming encore of Let’s Go Fly a Kite, with Mary leading the charge and actually flying a kite herself, we remembered our performance of Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head and tried not to feel too blue. 

Each song in our concert carried its own powerful narrative, and our community choir collectively wove its own unique and compelling story. It was a narrative of all that is hopeful, regenerative and uplifting. Leo Tolstoy once said, “Music is the shorthand of emotion.” Our summer concert performance was a testament to that fact.

As we take our summer break, we have much to be thankful for at Saints’ Singers. Not only Elisabeth and Jean, but also one another, our audience and our choir committee, Gwenifer and Robin Shawyer and our sponsors last year (ASDA Foundation, Winterton and District Lions, Winterton Town Council and Winterton 2022). Following our concert, I feel truly rejuvenated, and I’m sure I’m not alone in relishing the shared experiences of it. However, I’m also looking ahead and I can’t wait to regroup with the fabulous Saints' Singers and looking forward to more fabulous harmonising together in September. I think my family will be very pleased when they are able to add some different tunes and teachtracks to our car playlist!  

Lincs Lotto was created in 2017 by North Lincolnshire Council. Set up to support community projects in the local area, Lincs Lotto operates on the principle of raising money within the community for the community.  A ticket for Lincs Lotto costs £1 a week and 60p will go directly to good causes - 50p to your chosen Good Cause and 10p into the Lincs Lotto Community Fund. You can play the lottery weekly or as a one off.

All support helps us to fundraise for new music, workshop opportunities for the choir and to ensure that our musical and sound equipment is maintained and renewed as necessary. Please do take a look at our page: https://www.lincslotto.co.uk/support/saints-singers and support us if you can.

One of our altos, Liz, has written a fantastic account of her first year with Saints' Singers, from joining us in September for the Come and Sing month to almost a year later when she performed in our summer 2023 concert - I Am Woman.

On the warm evening of the 24th June 2023 Saints’ Singers performed our summer concert ‘I Am Woman’ at All Saints’ Church Winterton to a sold out audience. The fifteen song repertoire was very well received:

“The material …was well chosen and professionally delivered. The harmonies blended extremely well.” Audience member

“Just to say how much I enjoyed the concert. You gave us a packed programme which was great fun to listen to.” Audience member

For me the overriding feeling was one of shared and tangible pride and elation among the choir members, and gratitude to Elisabeth (our Musical Director) and James Longden (piano), Toby Jacklin (guitar) and Lisa Oliver (drums) who accompanied us on the night, as well as pride that our regular pianist Jean was in the audience to hear the results of all the rehearsals over the last six months.

It’s hard to believe that it was only ten months earlier that I had joined the choir for a taster series of four sessions. I wasn’t even sure if I was an alto or soprano but didn’t fancy trying to reach those high notes so plumped for alto! I was immediately struck by the choir’s warm welcome and the skill, encouragement and highly organised approach of our M.D. The rehearsals were fun and challenging. I was learning such a lot in a very short time. The regular choir members were supportive and I found that listening to the other altos around me helped considerably. I had no hesitation in deciding to continue with the choir.

We went on to learn the Christmas repertoire and performed at Forest Pines and at All Saints’ Christmas Concert. I was nervous but enjoyed the experiences. In January 2023 we embarked on learning the repertoire for the summer concert. It was exciting to see the work of such a range of female artists included in the repertoire, including Carly Simon and Dolly Parton. Elisabeth had put this together taking into account suggestions given by choir members. Some of the songs were very challenging and I had doubts that I would ever conquer ‘This Woman’s Work’ by Kate Bush or ‘Easy On Me’ by Adele. We were given a variety of tips and strategies above and beyond the regular Monday evening rehearsals to help, including; using a highlighter to identify the different vocal parts on the score, recorded teach tracks, and audio recordings of rehearsals. I found all of these to be very helpful and I am sure that my memory has improved through this process.

The run up to the concert was not without hiccups. Unfortunately our regular pianist Jean was unable to accompany us on the last few rehearsals, or for the concert itself, and we had one particularly poor rehearsal when we just seemed to have forgotten so many things! However, Elisabeth assured us everyone has one bad rehearsal prior to a big performance. As the concert drew nearer, Elisabeth’s exceptional skills became very clear. At one rehearsal it all suddenly clicked for me as we sang ‘This Woman’s Work’. I was so moved that the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

My positive experience is shared by other singers who joined the choir in September after the Come and Sing month as two new singers, Jane and Mo reflect below about their experiences joining the choir:

“I have never been in a choir in my life…until I joined Saints’ Singers at the grand old age of 75…After the loss of my husband…It has helped me a great deal, given me a new interest and wonderful new friends. I am very grateful to have such an amazing teacher …and so much help from the dear ladies around me …I still can’t believe how much I enjoyed my first concert.” Jane 

“Joining Saints’ Singers is one of the best decisions I’ve made. However bad a day I may have had , or however tired I am, getting out and singing always makes me feel better. I feel challenged but not uncomfortably so and whilst I was nervous for the summer concert …I don’t think you’d get the same buzz afterwards if there weren’t the nerves”. Mo 

The Summer concert was a huge success. It was a fabulous experience! This year, the new starters had been welcomed, nurtured, and accepted into this well established choir. We too had felt the positive physical, mental and emotional benefits of being in the choir. We were part of the team, part of this beautiful sound.

One of our sopranos, Suzanne, has written a wonderful account of Saints' Singers summer 2022 concert - Desert Island Discs.

Saturday June 25th 2022 was a momentous day for the Saints’ Singers as it was the first time in three years that we had performed a full concert to a live audience. All Saints’ Church was filled to capacity with an appreciative audience, who delighted in our Desert Islands Discs repertoire, as our singing soared to the rafters!

Going into lockdown in March 2020 didn’t stop our choir singing. Our Musical Director Elisabeth organised Zoom meetings so that we could sing together virtually for 16 months and we also managed 6 weeks of socially distanced outdoor singing last summer. It wasn’t until September 2021 that we finally met again to sing as a choir in the Church under very strict safeguarding measures. It was wonderful to be together again!

Since September we have taken great joy in learning the 15 songs for this concert, each one chosen as a special memory by some of our choir members, some lively and upbeat, some sentimental and emotional but all honed to perfection by our talented and patient MD Elisabeth, supported by our very accomplished pianist Jean.

On the night of the concert we were joined by percussionist, Lisa Oliver and bass guitarist, Toby Jacklin, who added another dimension to our performance. Our choir ladies took great joy in giving their very best to please the audience. There was something for everyone, whatever their taste in music, which was reflected in the very positive responses in the following reviews:

"I was privileged to be present at a Saint Singers' Concert recently. This Concert took the format of Desert Island Discs, and individual choir members introduced each number and the reason it had been chosen. This gave the audience a chance to connect more informally to members. The Concert was "magical" in every sense of the word"  Kath Brown, audience member

"What a fantastic evening spent at Saints' Singers Desert Island Disc Concert. At times emotional, at times joyous, it was such a varied uplifting programme!" Jean Richmond, audience member

"We both really enjoyed your choir’s performance - it was a really nice evening. Great choice of songs!"  Ann and Stuart Harrison, audience members

Come and Sing with Saints' Singers this September!

Saints' Singers are a female choir who enjoy singing a variety of music and performing across the area at community and charity events. In September, we're opening our doors to new singers; together we'll learn new music over four rehearsals culminating in an informal performance for friends and family on the 26th September. There’s no need to read music or take part in an audition – we’re just a relaxed and friendly choir who love singing together. Sign up by emailing saintssingers@gmail.com or join up at the first rehearsal on Monday 5th September! 

Why should I sign up?
Did you know that singing has many benefits for us, both physically and emotionally? It helps to:

• Release endorphins which enhance our mood
• Relieve stress
• Develop your posture and core strength
• Improve breathing efficiency/core capacity
• Boost your self esteem
• Singing in a group is a sociable activity - we're not just a choir, we're a community of friends too!

What are the details?
Dates: 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th September, 7- 8.30pm
Venue: All Saints' Church, Winterton
Fee: Join for an introductory price of £5 for the month. This price includes all music copies. After the introductory month, weekly subs are £4 (payable by half term).
Sign up by emailing saintssingers@gmail.com 

One of our altos, Alison, has written a wonderful account of Saints' Singers rehearsals over the last two years. In March 2020, we had to move our rehearsals online to Zoom and this continued for over a year, until restrictions allowed us to meet together again. 

During the early stage of the pandemic Saints' Singers were very lucky to be able to continue singing, albeit online, using Zoom. It was a rather strange experience; I certainly found that the benefits gained from sharing the weekly sessions far outweighed the frustrations of IT glitches and being muted. I shut my door, switched off my mobile and concentrated hard singing to my PC screen, safe in the knowledge that nobody would hear my mistakes!

Late spring and summer brought better news. We could actually sing together again as a group while observing all the Covid regulations. Our rehearsals moved into the open air, under the marquee kindly borrowed from the George Hogg pub. Come wind, rain (torrential on occasion) or shine, around 20 members attended, relishing the camaraderie and singing favourite numbers even if we did have competition from the local blackbird population! There was a palpable sense of excitement and pure joy as we greeted our fellow singers in person once more. 

Our choir finally migrated back into All Saints' Church in September 2021. Still observing social distancing, around 25 members actively enjoyed the social and physical benefits of community singing while others followed the live rehearsals online (we ended up having a very fancy microphone set up and livestreaming the rehearsal from an iPad). 


We even managed to perform our seasonal repertoire at the Scunthorpe Rotary Festival of Christmas Trees. This was such a treat and at last felt a little more “normal”.

Now back in full swing, each and every one of us understands what it means to be a singer in such a dynamic and vibrant choir. The warmth and friendship, mutual support, physical and mental health benefits plus the immense talents and professional musicianship of our conductor Elisabeth and accompanist Jean make Saints' Singers the perfect destination for a Monday evening in Winterton!