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December 21, 2020
An evening of Christmas fun, friendship and singing
What do you get when you connect two local Choruses together on a cold and wet night in December? If this sounds a bit like the start of a Christmas Cracker joke, then the answer has to be ‘organised chaos’!
On 9th December 40 singers from Ocean City Sound and the Kingsmen got together on Zoom. As the photo evidences, all went that extra mile to follow the dress code for the evening – Christmas jumpers, hats, scarves; tinsel; and fancy dress (yes, Elvis was in the ‘zoom’!)
The evening was topped and tailed by ‘words of wisdom’ from ‘two wise men’ or as they are otherwise known, the two Club Chairmen – Stu Newberry (Kingsmen) and Alan Homer (Ocean City Sound.
Sandwiched into a fun packed 90 minutes was:
- A talk about Quartet singing given by Roger Williams (DCD Ocean City Sound) and Roy Hann (MD the Kingsmen); both ex-Pilgrimaires. Roger and Roy talked about the rewarding experience of singing in a Quartet and of their time together in Quorum (Roger as Baritone and Roy as Bass); and Roger relayed the story of the run up to him winning a Gold Medal in the Quartet Gilt Edge in 1985 and of their subsequent visit to the USA
- Time in Sections for a chat and catch-up; an opportunity to share singing/learning experiences; and a run-though of Winter Wonderland
- A joint sing-along of Winter Wonderland and Can You Feel The Love Tonight?, introduced by Bethany Lowe (CD Ocean City Sound)
- Telling and voting on the top 5 Christmas Cracker jokes from each Chorus
- The announcement of the ‘best dressed’ member from each Chorus
- A joint sing-along to Let’s Get Together Again and Keep The Whole World Singing.
And what’s a fun evening without an Afterglow? No, it’s not the start of another Christmas Cracker joke! After a few farewells and ‘Zoom waves’ goodbyes, around 20 hardy souls grabbed a glass or two, told some more Christmas Cracker jokes and giggled their way through an audience participation version of ‘knock knock’! How inventive we’ve all become in ‘lockdown’!
The last ‘singer standing’ at the Afterglow was Shaun Fewtrell, Tenor Section Leader of the Kingsmen, before Zoom was finally switched off at the end of a wonderful evening of Christmas fun, friendship and singing.
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Two days after Valentine's Day, the Kingsmen had the privilege of bringing music, smiles, and harmony to patients and staff at Mount Gould Hospital, sharing songs centred on one simple but powerful theme: Love. From the first note, it was clear that this was more than a performance. Love was there in every sense; in the dedication of the hospital staff who paused in busy corridors to listen, in the smiles of patients, and in the shared moments of connection that music so effortlessly creates. The Kingsmen sang of love, friendship and care; themes that resonated deeply within a place where compassion is part of everyday life. Music has a unique way of lifting spirits, and for a short while the wards echoed not with routine, but with harmony and warmth. For the Kingsmen singers, it was a reminder that love doesn’t always need grand gestures; sometimes it arrives as a familiar tune, a shared laugh, or a chorus sung from the heart. The Kingsmen left Mount Gould Hospital feeling uplifted themselves and grateful for the opportunity to give something back and reminded that love, like music, is best when it’s shared. We received a lovely message of thanks from the hospital chaplain who said "you need to know that you made a difference to those who came. Here's some examples : one lady told me just 30 minutes before you sang that she did not feel well enough and was not in the right frame of mind. I persuaded her, telling her how good you are. You may have noticed that she was singing along and left feeling much happier and smiley. There were also patients from the neurological ward who have been in hospital for some months. It made such a difference to them leaving the ward for some "normality" and uplift in their lives". Well done gents for all you do, and thanks again and hope to see you soon ! "
Kingsmen celebrate with new recruit Sam Tolchard
So, in the words of Jim Stewart, why would a 67 year old who hasn't even completed a "couch to 5k" run in a Marathon, let alone the Madrid event, one of the hilliest on the circuit? Jim has chosen to take up this challenge to run and raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK, this is the Kingsmen Chairmans Charity this year and so we are all throwing all of our support behind Jim. Here's why Jim chosen to run and raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK "I recently sat in my GP’s office after a PSA test. My results were ‘normal,’ yet I was told not to take 'comfort' in that. The PSA is only an indication, not a diagnosis, and it left me with a chilling realization: 'normal' doesn’t always mean 'safe.'" Prostrate Cancer UK's mission is: Prostate Cancer UK has a simple ambition - to stop men dying from prostate cancer. Through shifting the science over the next 10 years to focus on radical improvements in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and support, we will stop prostate cancer being a killer. Jim has set up a justgiving page which can be found at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/kingsmen-jim Jim also has his own Marathon Blog: https://marathonfundraiserforprostatecancer.blogspot.com/p/home.html Please visit these pages and if you can support Jim in this wild endeavour then please do so.
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