Choir Singing in the Afternoon is proving to be a big hit across the West of England, raising thousands of pounds for community groups. Last year (2022) across all the choirs, from Gloucester to Cornwall a magnificent £22,389.90 was raised, including Norton Radstock.

Champion fundraisers were Yate & Chipping Sodbury who meet every Wednesday and are led by Sian Walters. The choir members chose the charity they want to support, The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity being selected by the choir.

Founder Grenville Jones has a World-Wide reputation as a choir leader and as someone who advocates the health benefits of belonging in a choir. He says; “SINGING should be ON PRESCRIPTION.”

He is also well-known as founder of the Golden-Oldies Sing and Smile charity – now in its 15th year – with its 120 daytime fun sessions in Church Halls and Community Rooms.

Grenville also runs two evening choirs including the celebrated City of Bath Male Choir who hit the headlines on the BBC Last Choir Standing Saturday night series, recently returned from a hugely successful visit to Nashville. His Thursday evening mixed-voice choir in Bath, the Welcome Chorus has over 70 singers.

He started his community Good Afternoon Choirs in his home City of Bath fourteen years ago; choirs that sing in the daytime with no auditions (of course) and the accent on FUN singing, making friends and supporting local organisations with fundraising concerts.

In recent years the Good Afternoon Choirs have raised many thousands of pounds for local groups and have just announced that last year – 2022 – a total of £22,389.90 was given to organisations across the West of England.

There are now 24 Good Afternoon Choirs from Gloucester to Cornwall including the recently launched, Churchdown (N.Glos), Highworth/Shrivenham, South Somerset and Warminster/Westbury with more planned later in the year. Grenville takes four of the choirs himself and employs many talented freelance leaders and accompanists across the West.

Over 1000 people are enthusiastic Good Afternoon Singers. BIG SINGS, when the choirs all join together, are organised with Bath Abbey and Clifton Cathedral as past venues and Wells Cathedral being the host this coming November.

“I am fortunate to have a great team of leaders taking the choirs and all admin support comes from our office in Westfield near Bath. Our choir members are now choosing the local groups they want to help this year,” says Grenville.

Full details on all the choirs/rehearsal times etc are on their website.

The charities supported last year were:

A Life for a Cure, Alzheimer’s Support / Music for the Mind Project, Children’s Hospice South West, Dementia UK, Dorothy House, Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, Freewheelers/Taunton Blood Bikes, Great Western Air Ambulance Charity, JIGSAW Thornbury, Julia’s House Children’s Hospice, Keynsham & Saltford Dementia Action Alliance, Longfield Hospice, Peggy Dodd Centre, Prospect Hospice, Refugee Aid from Taunton, Royal British Legion, Salisbury Hospice, Springboard Opportunity Group, South Western Ambulance Charity, St Cuthbert’s School, Sue Ryder, The Space, Ukraine Appeal and Wells in Bloom