The Story of Saints Singers

An article by Sally Flint, soprano 

Chasing the Story

After our summer concert celebrating ten wonderful years of Saints Singers, I told myself and others, that I wanted to learn more about two things: firstly, our inspiring conductor, Elisabeth Brierley, and secondly, about the origins and journey of the wonderful choir I’ve been fortunate enough to join. The first part has already been achieved.

Now, as we step into our eleventh year, the second part of my task is taking shape. I’ll be honest, I haven’t found it easy to only look back because great things are happening in the present and there are lots of future events too, all distracting me from the task of returning to the choir’s beginnings. Take the mini-concert that took place early in September at Winterton Church.

A Joyful Start to the Year

At what has now fondly become known as “Emma’s Coffee Morning”, Saints Singers’ choir, after only two rehearsals, put on our performance outfits, warmed up our voices, and started the new year with a lovely mini-concert in Trinity Methodist Church, Winterton.

Emma began organising the Macmillan coffee mornings when her late close friend was battling stage 4 cancer, and she saw first-hand the incredible support Macmillan gave to her and her family. More recently, Macmillan has also helped her own mum, Kate, our much-valued choir treasurer, through illness and recovery, further inspiring Emma’s commitment to running the event.

This year’s coffee morning, part of the charity’s national tradition, was my first, and I could not have enjoyed it more, not just because I won a raffle prize and ate lots of cake. Emma and her team created a warm and welcoming atmosphere, raising over £1,250 on the day. Over the years, Emma and her family have raised around £10,000 for Macmillan. I gasped when I heard the amount. Wow! Thank goodness Kate is good at sums to help Emma add up all that fundraising money! Our mini-concert was so warmly received in the village and reminded us once again of the importance of community and the role our choir plays in it.

Where Saints Singers Began

But where did Saints Singers come from? How were the first seeds planted and how did it grow from September 2015, when it first started, into the group we cherish today which is able to perform at wonderful local events such as Emma’s Coffee Morning? To find out, more cake was needed!

The Scoop

To begin finding the answers to these questions, I sat down over a latte and a very generous slice of carrot cake at our local pub, The George, for a chat with Lucinda Hopkins, who founded the choir more than ten years ago. I also spoke with several choir members and met Gwenifer Shawyer, who was closely involved in the refurbishment of All Saints’ Church, where the choir meet every Monday evening.

I should say at this point that there has been a lot of information to take in. I am very grateful for everyone’s input, though I must take full responsibility for any factual errors.

The story of Saints’ Singers begins in 2009, when the All Saints Forward group was formed under the leadership of Gwenifer and her husband Robin, with Robin as chair and Gwenifer as vice-chair. Their aim was to secure the future of All Saints’ Church in Winterton, a Grade I listed building dating back to the late eleventh century. The building was much loved but in urgent need of investment. 

Under their guidance, the group explored ways to preserve and improve the church for future generations. Following extensive consultation with the community, they applied for Heritage Lottery funding, a demanding process that required detailed planning and commitment. By 2012 a polished application was ready, and Gwenifer and Robin even drove to Leeds to hand in the hard copy in person.

As part of the funding process, the group had to show how the church could be used beyond regular worship. A professional consultant was appointed to work with local organisations and individuals to explore what people most wanted from their village church. At a well-attended public meeting in late 2013, around eighty people braved a rainy evening to share their thoughts, ideas and sign up for areas of interest, from lifelong learning and heritage projects to lunch clubs and singing groups.“What really struck us,” Gwenifer told me, “was how deeply people cared about the church. Everyone wanted it to stay at the heart of village life; the strength of feeling was heartening.”

As a Grade I listed building, permissions and consultations were needed from Historic England, the National Church Buildings Society and the Victorian Society. It was an ambitious and hugely important project, but it was time to go ahead. The church closed on 31 December 2013 for major refurbishment. The work included, but is not limited to, installing underfloor heating, repairing walls and windows, and levelling the floors to access throughout.

Choir member Lucinda had been part of the lifelong learning group and as the idea of a local singing group took root, Lucinda, who was already involved in a singing group in Scunthorpe, introduced a singing group in Winterton. From those beginnings, Saints’ Singers were born, and the choir soon became one of the clearest examples of how the renewed church could bring people together.

The choir’s original name was Singing for Pleasure, and the group started with just eight founding members (five of whom still sing with the choir today!). With Lucinda driving it forward it was clear that things were going to move forward quickly. What began as a plan to safeguard a much-loved building has grown into a living community project that continues to fill All Saints’ with music and life.

The Early Days

Lucinda told me that she ended up initially running the choir by default, due to a lack of any other volunteers willing to take it on. She claims that she didn’t have a clue what she was doing, but I think she is being modest. Not only did Lucinda bring experience from her previous choir (The Shower Singers in Scunthorpe) but she also brought a whole lot of enthusiasm and a wonderful sense of fun.

Although Lucinda expected everyone to be quite shy at first, she was clearly wrong! She laughed as she recalled how the group would meet fortnightly, play backing tracks on a karaoke machine, march around the church singing The Grand Old Duke of York, and sing songs using words printed on the back of worksheets, which were spares from her day job as a nursery teacher. Back at its inception, the songs of the Carpenters and ABBA featured heavily. In some ways, things haven’t changed much, with Dancing Queen and Mamma Mia still part of our repertoire today!


Fun and friendship have always been key to the choir’s journey, and all the members I spoke to relish these aspects. It was from Pam, a founder member of Saints' Singers - who has always sung in choirs because she finds it so cheering and positive, that I learned the choir once attempted a flash mob at the church for the Queen’s Jubilee, performing Dancing Queen! Who would have thought?! Later local events sounded just as fun, especially the choir's first Christmas concert at The George Hogg, the same pub where Lucinda and I were drinking coffee and eating cake. It featured The Christmas Pudding Song, sung to the tune of Funiculì Funiculà. Around this time the choir was also singing outside at the traditional Winterton Christmas Tree Event, featuring carol singing, a festive market and the switching on of the Christmas lights.


Pam explained that these events always brought a smile to everyone’s faces, which is also what the choir is all about. She says,“The choir has gone from strength to strength, and I enjoy the companionship of the ladies so much. I always look forward to my Monday evenings.” That sense of joy and camaraderie that the choir brings is also one that Kathy, another founding member, values deeply. Kathy recalls, “I for one was very grateful to Lucinda and her ‘baby!’ I had just started working from home and didn’t get the usual social contact with colleagues, so the start-up of the choir filled a gap. It was great singing along to Abba on Lucinda’s CD player and letting our hair down!”

It very quickly became clear that the choir was really taking shape and membership grew from a handful of members to double figures. Whilst Lucinda had enjoyed transferring some of her teaching skills to impromptu choir leadership she was happy when, after a little while, musician Helen Occleshaw introduced new songs and a wider repertoire. It was Helen who introduced the choir to Hallelujah, which remains one of our firm favourites.

A Permanent Musical Director

So where does our wonderful musical director Elisabeth enter the equation? Well, after Helen unfortunately had to leave due to other commitments, Elisabeth stepped in to the role. Having come home from university in Autumn 2015, she started leading Saints' Singers rehearsals every other week in Spring 2016 and by May 2017, she was working with the choir every week. With her warmth and musical background, she was the perfect choice to take the helm. I think Kathy sums up everyone’s gratitude to Elisabeth when she says:
“Now, of course, we have gone from strength to strength, and we have so many lovely songbirds making an even louder sound – and, yes, we can still let our hair down!”. A very fitting quote, especially as Songbird is a favourite piece of so many choir members.

Spotlight on Jean

We all know every great musical director needs an equally great accompanist and Elisabeth knew just the person for the task! I asked Jean if she’d share a few lines about her own musical journey. Here is her piece in full.

My Saints’ Singers Journey - Jean Leong

“I first met Elisabeth when I started playing for the Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Training Choir in 2016. After a while she asked me if I was busy on a Monday evening. I knew she was Musical Director for Saints’ and so I had an inclination as to what she was then going to ask me. My first unvoiced reaction was “I can’t possibly play for another choir”, as I already had several other musical commitments, including accompanying two other choirs! Plus I didn’t really fancy travelling to Winterton every week, especially in the winter months. Even so, I went along to see the choir perform at Winterton Open Gardens and found they were such a joyous group of singers, led by an obviously extremely talented and professional conductor in Elisabeth, that I found myself changing my mind about joining them. We decided I should have a trial to see how it went and I knew straight away that I was going to commit!

My first concert accompanying the choir was at Winteringham later that same year. Since then, I have never looked back. I enjoy every rehearsal playing for the choir, seeing and hearing the choir doing their best for Elisabeth and enjoying singing. It has flourished in the years since I started, under Elisabeth’s expert direction, from a small group singing mostly unaccompanied songs in unison to performing more challenging pieces in three parts!

It is an absolute delight to work with Elisabeth. I have worked with several conductors over the years and she is one of the best! She also finds some great arrangements for songs so, consequently they are a pleasure to play, and with the added joy of being able to accompany on that lovely Bechstein piano, kindly donated by Caroline Clemmow. As far as the journey out to Winterton, which was one of my earliest concerns, it turns out it is actually no bother and I think I have only missed a couple of rehearsals due to bad weather in the winter.

I certainly hope that I shall be able to continue to play for the choir for the foreseeable future.”

The Here and Now

We definitely hope that Jean will continue with us, as it is clear that she and Elisabeth are a wonderful team, constantly working in harmony to develop the choir’s musicality and enhance its role in the local community. 

As a group we continue to evolve and grow and, despite not having Lucinda’s karaoke machine anymore (!), we continue to be tech savvy. The choir now has a superbly managed website, set up and maintained by Gill. Additionally, Kay’s weekly recordings of rehearsals help us really improve our sound. I’m not the only one who gets stared at while singing at the top of my voice to the teaching tracks in the car.

Saints' Singers is frequently in demand to perform around North Lincolnshire, over the years performing at Lindsey Lodge Hospice, The Hope and Anchor in South Ferriby, Burton in Bloom, Forest Pines Hotel and Winteringham Village Hall amongst other venues. Following a recruitment drive in 2022, we now have nearly 60 singers and have recently welcomed Ben Newton to the group as an additional accompanist. He isn’t the only male member to have been involved in Saints Singers; back in the early days, a few men sang with us, notably a lovely gentleman who, along with his ukulele, brought a refreshing change as an accompanist for the CD backing tracks Lucinda had faithfully brought along.

There’s lots for us to look forward to this Autumn too; alongside other local choirs, we are take part in a Singing Day with Joanna Forbes L’Estrange on 8th November and on 6^th December, we are excited to present our first ever Christmas concert, with guests Riverside Brass, at All Saints’ Church, Winterton. We’re also pleased to be asked to return to perform at the Scunthorpe Rotary Club Christmas Tree Festival on 13^th December, before rounding off the festive season with Carols at All Saints’ on 16th December!

Emma, who has been part of the choir from the very beginning, understands what real commitment to the choir means. She says: “Sometimes, after a full Monday at work, especially in winter, I really don’t want to drag myself out, but once there, I’m so pleased I made the effort. It definitely gets the serotonin flowing. It’s a real feel-good factor! We are all so proud of what we’ve become.”

The Next Chapter

Before researching this article, I realised I knew very little about our choir members or the community we are part of. The more I learn, the more I discover that each member carries their own story and unique connection to music, often rich enough to rival the guests who used to featured on This Is Your Life!

As we reflect on where we’ve come from and where we’re heading, it feels natural to return to the All Saints Forward group, which I mentioned at the start of this piece. It is especially important to recognise the remarkable contributions of Gwenifer, Lucinda, and the early singers, whose dedication laid the foundation for the Saints’ Singers, housed at All Saints’ Church in Winterton.

Gwenifer captures the spirit of the choir perfectly: “I’ve had a lot of feedback from choir members and have been touched by how valuable the choir, the church itself and the friendships that grow from music and comradeship are.”

It is this combination of music, community, and enduring friendship that continues to make the choir such a special part of village life.

In a recent piece I wrote after our summer concert, I mentioned I’d be sharing an “exclusive” on Elisabeth, our musical director. It had sounded rather like a paparazzi scoop in the making, and in truth, that was sort of the spirit I approached it in. Elisabeth has, in our choir at least, something of a quiet celebrity status. A bit of mystery, a lot of admiration, and the sense that behind the calm, capable presence was a story well worth hearing. 

It was not just to satisfy the interest of curious choir members that I wanted to know more about the person behind the pitch pipe. The one who occasionally has to remind us, with a wry smile, that she cannot sing both parts at once, however much we might wish she could. What it really came down to was that in a choir so full of connection and shared purpose, I felt there was immense value in pausing to shine a light on the person who has both the skill and the passion to create and empower a community of strong, thoughtful women who collectively produce something for others, but perhaps even more importantly, discover something within themselves. 

Elisabeth is the person who helped build a choir from a small group of singers rehearsing to a cassette soundtrack into the large, joyful community that now brings pleasure to so many. I wanted to understand and have some insight into not just the journey that led to Elisabeth becoming our Musical Director, but why and how she does what she does. What music means to her. What she hopes we are building together. 

Of course, I did not say all of that to Elisabeth. I did not want to put her off chatting with me. I simply asked if she might be open to me asking her a few questions over a cup of tea. 

Her response? 

“It depends what the questions are…” 

But there it was, that almost imperceptible smile that reassured me my request was not entirely ridiculous. 

And so, on an overcast Thursday afternoon, we sat down to chat. During our conversation, Elisabeth was warm, open, full of fun and brimming with insight about music's place in education, in her own life, and in all of ours. It was an absolute joy to spend time with her. 

As soon as Elisabeth arrived at my home, we were instantly distracted by the pile of books on the table. We moved from Ann Cleaves to Sally Rooney before dipping into Jacqueline Wilson’s Girls in Love, a light read that revisits Ellie, Magda and Nadine, familiar characters for a younger generation of readers. It turned out Elisabeth, like my own children, had grown up with those books. I, meanwhile, had been reading and reviewing them in my role as school librarian, deciding where they should go on the shelves. That detail neatly highlighted the age gap between us, and led me to ask what it was like to lead a choir filled with people who were comfortably older than her and some of whom she had known for most of her life. 

Elisabeth said it was not a problem at all, but laughed as she admitted that there was sometimes a line she felt she could not quite cross. I never quite got around to asking directly what that invisible line might be. However, I could appreciate it is one thing to conduct a choir, but quite another when you are waving your arms at your former geography teacher, your old headteacher, and the person who once helped you to master an understanding of physics. 

Many of the Saints’ Singers choir have known Elisabeth since she was knee-high. I had not realised, as a newer member, just how far back some of these connections go. That geography teacher, incidentally, very nearly inspired her to take a completely different path. It was a close call between human geography and music when it came to applying to Oxford. And then there is her mum, Alison, who sings alongside us each week, quietly proud and resolutely low key. No fanfare, no fuss. Just another choir member, which somehow makes her presence even lovelier. 

It became clear that the quiet exterior that Alison wears masks a real pride. For example, during the Suzzie Vango “Sing Out!” workshop in Winterton last September, where Elisabeth brought together over 100 women for a day of singing at All Saints’ Church, Alison was visibly moved. Elisabeth smiled as I suggested she was leading those who once led her. Her current role of Saints Singers’ Musical Director is a two-way relationship, full of affection, a touch of reverence, and the occasional need to pretend you do not remember who saw your primary school productions! 

As we settled into a rhythm, it quickly became clear that for Elisabeth, as for many of us, stories and songs sit closely together. And gradually, through all the conversation and reflection, I began to uncover exactly what I had hoped to find: the why and how behind Elisabeth’s approach to music. Her love of storytelling, her belief in access and community, and her quietly passionate philosophy began to shine through. This came into focus when she told me about her undergraduate dissertation — an ethnomusicological study exploring how the spaces we are in shape the way we experience performance. Using the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment as her study, Elisabeth looked at how surroundings influence not only how we hear music but also how we respond to those performing it. 

Elisabeth explained that when it comes to classical music, audiences can tend to behave in the same quiet and formal way, no matter where the concert takes place. People sit silently, even in casual venues like pubs. The type of venue certainly shapes the demographics that might be attracted to attend a concert; a performance of the same selection of music in a concert hall versus one in a pub can attract a very different audience. Her research explored how these habits still shape our expectations today, and how they affect who feels included, and how people connect with the music and the musicians. As a student, Elisabeth had even considered becoming an ethnomusicologist, and she still finds the idea exciting. The study of music and people remains close to her heart. It makes perfect sense. Elisabeth understands that when performing music, we are both telling a story and, at the same time, we are the story being told. 

Elisabeth’s current life sees her content and thriving in Winterton and the wider local music community. Music has always been part of her world. She began piano lessons at the age of seven, later adding cello, and eventually achieved Grade 8 in both, along with music theory. Her mum, Alison, was a constant source of encouragement and it was she who encouraged Elisabeth to join the Scunthorpe Cooperative Junior Choir at just 3 years old. That early experience ignited a love of singing and shaped her thinking around music and education. Since then, Elisabeth has never been far from a choir. She recently performed Verdi’s Requiem with Scunthorpe and District Choral Society, conducted by Susan Hollingworth, who also directed the children’s choirs Elisabeth sang in growing up. 

After what Elisabeth describes as a kind and supportive education in Winterton, she studied French, German, English Literature and Music A Levels at John Leggott College before going on to read Music at Magdalen College, Oxford. She chose Magdalen partly because it had a deer park and a beautiful chapel. There may have been an element of family rebellion too! When Elisabeth expressed a desire to apply to Oxbridge, her mum thought that Clare College, Cambridge would be a great fit, but as far as rebellions from this self-confessed nerd go, it does not seem such a digression. Elisabeth loved the academic challenge of university, but Oxford was challenging with sometimes unreasonable expectations. Coming home after graduating felt deeply restorative. It gave Elisabeth a renewed sense of purpose and meaning to get involved in the local music scene. That return home, and the relationships she rebuilt and deepened there, may well be part of what makes the choir she now leads feel so cohesive. There is a natural ease and understanding between Elisabeth and the members that seems to come from shared roots, and perhaps also from a shared sense that singing itself can be a healing process. For many of us in the choir, it offers something calm and grounding. Elisabeth understands that, not only musically, but personally. 

At Oxford, Elisabeth played with the Oxford Millennium Orchestra and was active in the Magdalen College Music Society. She also took part in Music Plus, a programme that placed student musicians in schools, which helped spark her interest in educational outreach. After university, she applied to a number of arts charities and secured an internship at the York Early Music Festival, based at the National Centre for Early Music. She worked there for about a year in an administrative role, gaining valuable experience in programming and concert planning. I commented that she would be brilliant at that kind of work, given the way she curates such thoughtful and beautifully shaped programmes for our concerts. 

It was around this time that Elisabeth had taken on the role of Musical Director for Saints’ Singers and at the same time was completing a Kodály certificate and a Sing for Pleasure diploma scholarship, more tools in her ever-growing kit for choral leadership. She joined the North Lincolnshire Music Hub, teaching music to Early Years and Key Stage 1 pupils part time in schools across the area and a year later, she joined the Opera North Education team, first working with the Family team and then later with the In Harmony schools programme.  

It was when discussing Elisabeth’s work at Opera North that we shared an interesting conversation about her attitude to teaching music. 

Elisabeth spoke with conviction about the need for children to develop solid musicianship before learning individual instruments. In her view, seven is more than early enough to begin any instrument, and she believes the voice is just as powerful and valid as any other. Starting with broad musicality and notation helps build confidence and curiosity. When a child does move to an instrument, she feels it should be chosen with care and genuine enthusiasm. She recalled a policy from the early 2000s where every child in a primary school learned the same instrument in whole-class tuition. While well-intentioned, this approach assumed uniformity rather than supporting individual needs. Real equity, she argued, means recognising difference. 

Her passion for inclusive music education deepened as we discussed GCSE music.  She finds it elitist that students cannot achieve certain GCSE grades unless they have had private instrumental tuition, often outside of school. A circumstance that wouldn’t be allowed to continue with a core subject. This, she said, feels at odds with a community like ours, where everyone is welcomed and no one is excluded. 

These reflections come from her experience as both student and teacher. She spoke passionately about how schools often approach music, drama and sport as subjects where children either have innate talent (or don’t!), rather than skills to be taught. Without proper scaffolding, children may assume they are simply not musical. Music is just language, she said, but we do not treat it that way. 

Elisabeth admires Opera North’s approach, where children focus on play, rhythm and listening in the early years, with instruments introduced later. She believes this overlooked foundation makes all the difference. She became visibly animated when talking about how the arts are undervalued in early education. The notion that it is acceptable for young children to look cute on stage while the performance effort is ignored seemed as nonsensical to her as skipping phonics when teaching reading or leaving out the building blocks of early maths. Her belief in the arts being taken seriously, taught properly, and made accessible to all was infectious. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the drive and care she brings to every choir rehearsal. 

As one teacher talking to another, we could have chattered all day, but it was time to move on. I asked Elisabeth what some of her favourite choir songs were. Well, actually, I tried to guess, and to my surprise and slight satisfaction, I was right on the first two: Seasons of Love and For Good. She also named Hallelujah, a piece that seems to resonate deeply with both singers and audiences. It is one she says is a pleasure to watch us perform because of the emotion we bring to it and the way we tell its story. 

Throughout our conversation, Elisabeth returned again and again to the power of storytelling in music. The songs we sing tell stories, and the stories we tell shape who we are, both as individuals and as a choir. “It enables us to be vulnerable,” she said, her voice full of feeling. Some years ago, she read the lyrics of The Book of Love aloud to our group, treating them almost like spoken word poetry, to show just how powerful lyrics can be on their own. “The emotional weight and vulnerability,” she explained, “is carried not only by the notes but by the language.” 

At this point, Elisabeth mentioned that she often writes music and lyrics for the children she teaches. Lucky children, I thought. 

As we started to run out of time, I moved into a bit of a quick-fire round. This was partly to keep pace, and partly because I realised I had barely touched half the things I wanted to ask. Village or city? Definitely village. Elisabeth is happy where she is. She has a house in Barton that she is gradually renovating. She is in no rush, and there is something quietly satisfying, she said, about seeing an old house brought back to life over time. It became clear that Elisabeth is not only adept with a paintbrush but is also developing quite a fondness for gardening. 

When I asked about significant others, Elisabeth spoke warmly about her partner, Maddie, who although no longer formally involved in music, has great musicality, having grown up playing the cornet in bands. What matters most, Elisabeth said, is how supportive and loving Maddie is, always coming to concerts when she can and taking a genuine interest in the choir. Elisabeth laughed as she recounted how, during one concert break, a choir member jokingly pleaded with Maddie not to whisk her away to Leeds full time. For someone officially employed for just two hours a week, we have certainly become very attached to her. 

To end, I asked who she would choose as a celebrity choir member. It took a moment. She was briefly tempted by Ariana Grande in Wicked, then veered off course with Bob Mortimer, imagining him spending most of the rehearsal telling stories and making everyone laugh. Perhaps not ideal, I reflected, given that we are already a little too chatty at times. Eventually, Elisabeth settled on Cynthia Erivo. A great voice, yes, but more importantly, someone who truly lives the narrative. 

Finally, I asked Elisabeth what advice she might give to someone thinking about joining a choir. “Find the choir that’s right for you,” she said. “Go to some concerts. Do it.” Simple advice, but full of encouragement and clarity. 

And to her younger self? “Be less anxious about things. People find their way.” It was a quiet, sincere moment and one that stayed with me. Elisabeth admitted she has always been someone who overthinks, but in that moment we reflected that perhaps overthinking is not such a flaw. Perhaps it simply means you care. That you are paying attention. 

I had plenty more questions I wanted to ask, but it really was time to wrap up our chat. What I had suspected but saw with greater clarity after spending time with Elisabeth is that she is someone who thrives on community, people and music. I didn't really get the chance to explore what the future holds, but if I had a crystal ball, I would guess there might be a doctoral thesis on the psychology of music, identity and belonging somewhere on the horizon. I wonder if I am right, or perhaps completely off the mark. The “what’s next” question is perhaps something for a future exclusive.  

What I can say for now is that it was a real privilege to spend time with Elisabeth. Someone who brings such depth, gentleness and insight to what she does. As I said at the beginning, many of you already know and love Elisabeth well and I imagine could add so much to this piece. I have plenty of interesting outtakes, but for the sake of keeping things to a reasonable length, they did not make the cut! However, I hope this conversation has offered just a little more insight into the real Elisabeth. The musician. The motivator. The much admired Musical Director of our Saints Singers.

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!