30 Oct 2018

Choirs across country set to raise money for the marginalised

The Church Urban Fund (CUF) have organised over 50 concerts, called Raise Your Voices, where pre-existing choirs will be gathered together to raise money for social action projects around the country.

Many of the choirs have already received grants from the CUF, such as the Memory cafe choir which was founded by a vicar in West London who applied for a grant to help older people in his area who were struggling with dementia or had a relative who was. 

Paul Hackwood, Executive Director for CUF said: "These events are about bringing people together to make a stand against injustice. Theyre about collectively doing something that will have a lasting legacy in transforming many lives and communities around the country.

"Of course, these events will be entertaining and fun, but at the core of them is something very important: a group of people prepared to raise their voices and make a difference."

Abi Bates from Church Urban Fund explained on Premier Christian Radio's News Hour: "Our first event kicks off next Thursday night at Southwark Cathedral and that will have London International Gospel Choir, the memory cafe choir - so they're people who either have dementia or have a loved one who's had dementia - we've got the Rolling Tones - they're basically pitch perfect in England!

"And then we've got the Queen's Park singers...a traditional choir. So, all different genres so there's definitely something for everyone".

Holly Adams from the charity explained why they've gathered choirs from across the country to perform: "We believe that as Christians we are called to do something about the poverty and injustice and inequality that we see in communities around the country and our response to that is by putting on these events...and by trying to give hope and voice to people who find that they often feel they don't have a voice or that their voice isn't heard.

"So that could be anyone from people experiencing homelessness or people who are feeling isolated or lonely."

Listen to the full interview from Premier Christian Radio's News Hour with Cara Bentley here:

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A charity set up by the Church of England to do social action is organising concerts featuring community choirs, church choirs, school choirs and gospel choirs. 
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