Local Vocals choir in Bournemouth is a community as much as a singing group. It brings together children with additional needs as well as their parents, grandparents and carers. It’s a chance for everyone to sing and dance but it provides invaluable support too.
The choir is held at St Luke’s Church, part of the Parish of Four Saints in Bournemouth. It was set up by Pioneer Priest James Sharp along with two teachers at Linwood School, a large school in the town which supports children with special educational needs.
When I started this job after my curacy, I went around the community looking at where we could serve and I met one of the deputy heads at Linwood School and asked how we could help? She said “I know you’re a musician and I’ve always wanted to start a community choir. How about we do that?” So, that’s where it was born. Local Vocals is a bit of an institution locally. We sing around the community and we’ve had lots of children through and lots of families that keep on coming, even though their children aren’t at Linwood School any longer. The first couple of years, we started off just running it for children and then we decided we wanted to be more than a children’s club. We wanted it to be a community and so we encouraged family members to come along as well. It’s for all of us because we realise singing is great therapy for everyone, regardless of ability or age.
Pioneer Priest James Sharp
LISTEN TO AN AUDIO RECORDING OF THE WONDERFUL LOCAL VOCALS CHOIR!
The weekly choir started around 8 years ago for youngsters aged 4 to 18 years old. The session begins with coffee and a chance for families to chat, then everyone gathers round in a circle to sing, clap and perform actions. Many get up to dance and express themselves, and there’s plenty of laughter too.
One of the parents, Mark Davey, said: “For Beatrix my daughter it’s really important to come here as she loves music. It’s a way for her to communicate and develop her language skills and to be able to socialise with people. When she first started coming here she was a bit wary of strangers but now she’s built up her confidence. It’s her own little community and it’s one where she can be herself and we don’t have to worry about what she’s up to because all the parents are in a similar boat to us. We can all lend a hand if need be and we all support each other and just have fun”.
Brenda Bartlett comes along with her granddaughter: “It’s a great social because she doesn’t do a lot outside of school and there’s a feel-good factor. Some of the children couldn’t speak when they started coming here but now you can’t stop them from talking or singing and it’s absolutely amazing.”
Zak is one of the young people who attends: “I like to sing and to see my friends. Singing makes me happy”. His mother adds: “ It’s a lovely safe place for the children to come after school. All the children are from Linwood School and have a variety of abilities but it’s a very non-judgmental place and the children can be themselves. They can join in as much or as little as they want to but they just love it. When Zak first started he wouldn’t join in. He just kept his head down and didn’t get up at all and now he’s up singing and dancing and he loves it. It’s really improved his confidence. People can’t believe how much he’s come on since we started coming here.”
As Pioneer Minster, James’ role is to create links with the community. He’s also part of a multi faith education group, university chaplaincy team and chair of the local charity Hope for Food which assists vulnerable people and rough sleepers.
“My whole work is about being out in the community, not trying to convert people but simply to demonstrate God’s love and presence with them. Unless the church is fully involved in and alongside the community, then we’re just doing church services behind brick walls on a Sunday morning. Presence, love and service in the community at all levels is critical. I was charged by Bishop Jonathan years ago to be out there at the margins, with people at the margins and at the margins of what the church does. There are deep relationships and deep conversations here as people share with one another what they are going through. It can be tough for a family to have a child or young person with special educational needs. If you’re in that situation, you’re probably not likely to be employed full-time, you’re probably not likely to have a high household income and so sometimes life can be pretty tough and this is about people sharing those burdens with one another. I would say all of those things are intensely Christ-like even if they don’t look specifically churchy.”
As well as the weekly sessions, the choir has performed at carol services and Christmas fairs as well as in supermarkets and even in McDonalds and Harry Ramsden’s fish and chip shop, to raise money for future activities. Last year the choir had a Summer trip to Monkey World and this year there’s a planned ‘Summer Sizzler programme’ with the group getting together on the four Wednesdays in August for special days out.
Tommy has been coming to Local Vocals for many years. He said: “I like Local Vocals because I like singing, it’s fun dancing sometimes and sometimes I like jumping too. I like singing happy songs and pop music”.
Another parent, Joanna, said: “It makes a lot of difference to us and we feel like we belong. Everyone is so nice and welcoming and it’s like they’re part of our family. We have been coming since the beginning and it’s wonderful. We love to sing in the church or in Sainsbury or Harry Ramsdens. He loves music and it’s part of him now. Thursdays are for singing”.
Jonathan Smith is a guitarist and youth worker and has been involved with Local Vocals since the beginning: “It’s such a great atmosphere. We’re singing, dancing and laughing. I wish more churches would look at what we’re doing and take the idea away. It’s more than a club, it’s an opportunity for the parents to come with their children, to take part and to all enjoying themselves. We get to know the families and they get to know us. They have someone else to turn to.”
