The Big Christmas Singalong raises over £4,000 for local charities

An organisation running choirs for people who have experienced homelessness (The Choir with No Name) raised £4367 for local charities at The Big Christmas Singalong, a concert at Brighton Dome on Fri 15 Dec. The money will be shared evenly between Brighton Housing Trust, The Clock Tower Sanctuary and The Choir with No Name.

The Choir with No Name’s annual Big Christmas Singalong is fast becoming a stalwart in the Christmas calendar, and their rousing 2017 concert included a host of festive favourites, from ‘Winter Wonderland’ to ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day’. The Choir with No Name’s London, Birmingham and Liverpool choirs came together to perform in Brighton, and the launch of a new Brighton choir later in the year was announced at the concert.

Marie Benton, CEO and Founder of The Choir with No Name:

‘Huge thanks to Brighton Dome for having us back there for our Big Christmas Singalong 2017. Not only did we have the most brilliant night, we are bowled over by the generosity of the audience and amazed at the amount raised! Thank you to everyone who came along and dug deep to support not only The Choir with No Name, but also Brighton Housing Trust and The Clock Tower Sanctuary.

‘Thanks to Brighton Dome, and also to event sponsors Civitas Social Housing, Inside Housing, JLL and National Express whose donations meant that we could give all our homeless and marginalised choir members the opportunity to perform in such a fabulous venue. The Big Christmas Singalong is always the highlight of the year for our members, and being at Brighton Dome was the icing on the cake. We had over 170 homeless singers on stage, with members from our Liverpool and Birmingham choirs travelling the length of the country to get there. The Brighton audience was wonderful - so welcoming, full of festive spirit and up for getting involved, which is what the Choir with No Name is all about!

‘For our members, standing on stage singing in front of an appreciative audience can be life changing. Receiving thunderous applause and standing ovations can restore a sense of self-worth and pride, so it's a hugely valuable experience for our choirs, particularly at what can be a tough time of year. We were particularly proud of our very new Brighton choir members, who had only been rehearsing together for a month before performing a really beautiful version of Happy Xmas (War is Over). We are launching a new choir in Brighton later in the year, so we're sure this won't be the last time they get to sing in front of a Brighton Dome audience!’

The Choir with No Name provides welcoming choir communities for those who have been affected by homelessness or are marginalised due to other factors, such as mental health problems or drug and alcohol addiction. Members get a hot, nutritious meal after each weekly rehearsal and have the opportunity to make friends, learn new skills and get themselves back on their feet. Their choirs provide a platform for members to sing their hearts out amongst good friends – a hugely effective way of building confidence and general wellbeing, enabling members to re-establish their place in the world and move away from homelessness long term. Find out more at www.choirwithnoname.org.