FRIENDS I So Ilr TRUSTEE'S REPORT
Committee, Information 2022123 FRIENDS OF CHAIRPERSON'S MESSAG lo NIL10238 1 l am delighted to inttoduce you to Ftiends of The choit studio's topozt! Tho 2022/23 yQC4t boon a yeCAt of impottant londmotk3 - Out fit3t a3 a teco9ni3ed chatity out fit5t yeot of foce to face 3IVl9ln9 Since the PC4ndomic. althou9h in out infancy a3 a fvlly opetational chatLty, we have had many 3ucce33eJ and ochievment3 thLJ yoat that CAto hi hli9htod withLn Out tepott. Wo ote oxtteme y 9t&tefvl to out mu3lC Ptofo35ional3 and committee membets who hove wozked tizele33ly thi3 yeaz to cnoble us to leatn. develop a3 a chatity and Trnost im ottantl to bting slnglng mujic to the heatt3 0 Chairperson Secretary Treasurer Trustee Trustee Committee member Committee member Lisa Flanagan Linda O Hagan Sinead Drummond Joelle Stamp Ann Reid Keva Quinn Brenda Kellaghan Artistic operations Friends Of The Choir Studio Gareth Hughes Mark Hughes .n Mu•lc ri Charfty Communlty rth X 05ew o need it the m03t. OUR Contact The Choir Studio 5G Greenbank Service Station Warrenpoint Rd Newry This yeot has teinfotced the impottonce of mu3LC In maltin9 the wotld a happiet and healthiet place. We have 3eeK the beKefitS Out Ptojoct3 havo btOU9ht to out membot3 and local community. Wo wolcomo 2023/24 and look fotwotd to mote pottunitie3. wolcomin9 now people ivito out Koit family continuing to 3Pteadjoy thtOU9h 30VL9 muslc. Ciso Fl&n • •fftt• •1 1•74 bw•lb •74
Charity Aims In 2022/23 Ftiends of The choit studio, Held over 50 in person events, performances & workshops Music & Singing accessible to ALL Our charity was established to ensure everyone, irrespective of age. gender, religion and beliefs find happiness and joy through the power of music & singing. Our emphasis on inter-generational singing will be at the forefront of our objectives for the forseeable - building community relationships and friendships, enhancing the lives of our members young and old, through a shared love of music and song. Partnered and supported 10 organisations from the charity, health and educational sector Providing skill's & opportunities Our Charity aims to produce, promote and create opportunities for our members. We aim to provide singing workshops with industry professionals from all genres of music, and to provide performance opportunities both locally and nationally. We hope to lend support through music & performances to highlight important social causes and to ossist other charitable organisations through our music. Welcomed new members age 4-82 years from all walks of life: Renovated our studio space Creating a happier & healthier world through music and song We support the physiological, social, psychological, behavioural and medical benefits of singing and the transformative power that singing can have for so many. Our performances, workshops and music videos. have benefited over 750.000 attendees, both in person and online
Uision £4cffiims Uision iTrrrF.RNATIONAL C.HC)IR FE%fivAL 2022-23 saw our charity successful in achieving many aspects of our vision and aims. The awarding of charity status has enabled us to. Music & Performance Secure the Lease of the studio Open a communlty bank account (this proved a lengthy process due to the covid backlog) 2022/23 proved very successful in terms of performances, workshops, outreach charity work and competitions. Emerging from the pandemic, morale from our members proved low - what better way to Lift your heart than to SING, have a focus and task at hand. We competed in our first ever choir competition in the City of Derry International Choir FestivaL and returned home as CHAMPIONS! Become affiliated with the CCG Secure grants with The Arts Council & Newry & Mourne Council We presented our Big Band Night in Newry City Hall, featuring loo performers aged 4-82 years. Merge two rooms to increase studio space. The refurbishment and increase of size within our studio space has allowed us to expand our number of members, ensuring we can bring singing and music to "all". The extra room has proven extremley beneficiaL post covid, allowing members, particuLarily our senior citizen choir, to distance out evenly and feel safe. Our Christmas programme saw us Visit and perform for the most vunerabLe peopLe in our community. We had the priviLedge of singing in four Local care homes, Daisy Hill HospitaL The Southern Area Hospice and an emotional performance slnging at Belfast City Airport for a group of terminaLly ill chlldren as they embarked on a trip to Lapland. Our recorded song for Newry Hospice went "ViraL" over i milLion views online! We ra5sed a staggerlng £3,000 towards Hosplce servlces. We partnered with several other charities and groups including The Southern Area Hospice, The ARC, Road Traffic Safety Committee and Daisy Hill HospitaL
inancial eview lj Friends Of The Choir Studio's totaL income for 2022/23 was £22.049. We were delighted to have secured funding from The Arts Council Nl of £7.000 to faciLiate our very successful community project over the Christmas period. A total of £2450 from Newry. Mourne & Down District Council was awarded for projects and payment for choirs performances at events. Our core source of income was generated from our own fundraising initiatives and performances incLuding our Big Band Night, in-house concerts, Christmas Light switch on, community movie night and The Nl Business Awards. which totalled to £8.199. Our success at The City Of Derry InternationaL Choir FestivaL acquired £500 prize money with a further £200 donation from The Canal Court HoteL Members subsidies/rent totaLLed £4100. Please refer to our treasurer's and the independent examiners report to show income and expenditure in more detail. We have ensured compLience with the governance obligations of our funders and donors,
Timeline of events Timeline of events 2022 May 2022 "Family Movie Night "E¥tensive rehearsal schedule, vocal tuition, choreogrnphy and band practice C'c)mmunitv bLPiL'llibL'i" ' l'il Iui"ILknUILL aL IIUJVLLL Midnight Memory Walk .Ill diuub* 1[, IL'& L)dud Iiiembers iiiusicians and soloists. "InthluLlion of singing for positive Mentsl health class CA)mmunity . adults ' Big Band Night 111 i)c'i-Ii 11lllL r% r)%111 (14,1. .l-X2 I'c., l )utside taLllb'tator, children aged 7-lY I'L aIs. October 2022 ' Release of Hospice Song June 2022 ' Perfornwjce WorL8hop .lll choirs, musiaans, soloists and i ommunity. ' Perforn]ing at NeY V]ety Market L'liildren's singiDg exallLS. outside c'iaminer. I'()ung At Heart senior alizen choir, November 'The CityofDe Intrnational Choir Competition - three competitions and winners, rfornwice. ' Perforn]ance at four care homes, The Hospice, Daisy Hill Hospital, Belfast Alort- Children Lapland TrnsL I'IIL I i)liltL'Il & Sl)IIiii)&, l.i%,Iil Cl)()ii-, Iiiusicians and soloists. I'oung At Heart Choir 'Musical Tea Pam July 2022 'EYtensive vo(31 and band rehearsals I plifted Adult Gospel CThoir & band. December I'he Uphtted & Shllllng Laght Lhoir, I Iiusicians and soloists. "Perfornwice at Fiddlers Green Festival I plifted Gospel Choir & band. ' Singing Summer School ' Musical scoring preparation August 2022 51 udio 32 & Fjthth Freeburn, I lie Uplthed & Shining ljght Choir ' Perfornwce at The Quays and Buttercrane Centre .lll Choirs, musicAans and soloists, Cnmmunity ' Recording Sthdio "ll]e Uplifted & Shining Litht Choir. Iiiusiaans and soloists. "Perfornwice At Praxis Healthcare Centre IFIE January 2023 Pertorn]ance at JWa72 show. U plttted Jliining Lignt un0. twid and community. February 2023 Singing at Kayden McKeown anniversary Mass ..111 choirs and musicians March 2023 Renovation of Studio
“Being part of the choir has changed my life. It is wonderful sharing the joy of music with our choir family. I am grateful for all the opportunities choir has given me to perform and give back to the community” Melissa Mathers
“I am truly honoured to be part of the Uplifted Choir!” Valerie Campbell
Testimonials
“At 80 years of age I performed for the first time on stage in front of an audience! It was a truly wonderful experience. Choir has changed my life! I look forward to Monday’s to sing, have a cup of tea and chat with our teacher Kathy and the many friends I’ve made, it really has lifted my heart being part of this wonderful organisation” Eileen O Hanlon, The Young At Heart Choir
“Choir is brilliant, I love singing and dancing with my friends. We get lots of opportunities singing in shows and going to the recording studio” Elyse, aged 9, The Little Voices Choir
“I could write a book on what choir has done for me. Mainly it has encouraged personal growth! Definitely reduces stress levels! It’s something I do for me, me time.
Choir has given me so many opportunities that I never in a million years would have had. I have met some of my closest friends in choir. I’m tearful thinking how life has changed since joining choir, happy tears” Maoliosa McAteer, The Uplifted Choir
“We want to thank our friend Kathy and members of her choir for supporting The Hospice over the past few years. We continue to be in awe of their talents and thoughtfulness. Each year they perform at our Midnight Walk, in our hospice garden for patients and staff and release their annual charity single to raise much needed funds. To date they have raised a £18,000 for Hospice services. We cannot thank them enough”
Allison, The Southern Area Hospice.
“Singing with the choir is like medicine for my heart and soul” Linda, The Uplifted Choir
“Joining choir is the best thing I’ve ever done. It has truly enriched my life and I have formed some wonderful friendships along the way” Donna Blevins, The Uplifted Choir
“Singing and choir is my life. It has afforded me so many wonderful opportunities. In 2021’under our vocal teacher Kathy’s guidance, I reached the final of The Voice Kids. Since then I have gone from strength to strength and am delighted to be working on my debut album with my production team. Choir really has shaped me into the performer I am today and I am incredibly grateful for being part of something so magical”. Emily Jane Flanagan, The Shining Light Gospel Choir