PRESS RELEASE Tuesday, October 20, 2015 New Goldies Trustees Two new Trustees have joined the management board of the Golden-Oldies Charity. Cllr Rob Appleyard and Susanne Crick both attended a training seminar, which took place at the Centurion Hotel, Radstock, last Friday. Funded by an Arts Council grant, the seminar was attended by over 30 session leaders from across England and Wales and is the first of six that will take place over the next two years. After a successful career spanning Retail and Telecommunications B&NES Cllr Appleyard has developed to become a Non Executive Director for several local organisations, he sees the work of Golden-Oldies as playing a major roll in combating loneliness and isolation and looks forward to contributing to its further successes. Susanne is a retired residential letting and property management professional. She is a Goldies Volunteer with experience of caring for people with dementia. She loves music and has for many years enjoyed singing in Choirs conducted by Grenville. Our photograph shows Cllr Appleyard and Mrs Crick with Goldies founder Grenville Jones. ENDS Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.
0 Comments
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, October 20, 2015 One of the UK’s leading male choirs will perform at Abbots Bromley School next Saturday October 31 at a charity concert. Bath Male Choir reached the finals of the BBC’s Last Choir Standing popular Saturday evening television series with an audience of many of millions of TV viewers. Since that time the choir have toured Europe and last year were invited to Japan where they performed as guests at the prestigious Bacchus Festival in Itami near Kyoto, receiving a standing ovation from the 3,000 people in the concert hall. Founder conductor is Grenville Jones who is also the founder of the Goldies Charity that now runs its successful daytime singing and activity sessions for older people in Uttoxeter and Burton upon Trent. All proceeds from the concert will support the development of new sessions across East Staffordshire. Sharing the stage will be The Heath Chorus led by Helen Clayton. Goldies leader in Staffordshire is Anne Griffiths who is a member of the Heath Chorus. The concert starts at 7.30pm and is supported by East Staffordshire Borough Council. Tickets are priced £10 from the Black Dog Jazz Café, Carter Street, Uttoxeter or call 01889 566660. Tickets will also be on sale on the door on Saturday October 31 from 7.00pm. ENDS Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934. PRESS RELEASE
Monday October 12, 2015 Award Helps Golden-Oldies The Golden-Oldies Charity, which brings about positive change through song, is this year’s winner of the Cosyfeet Community Award for Somerset. Using memory-evoking hits of the 1950s onwards, Golden-Oldies organises daytime sing-along and activity sessions for older and vulnerable people living in social isolation. The £500 award from Cosyfeet will enable them to continue to run their much loved sessions in Street and Shepton Mallet for a further 8 month period, covering the cost of session leaders and venue hire. The charity has run singing and activity sessions across Somerset since 2008. Through the support of the University of Bath, they have now introduced hugely popular ‘Active Songs.’ Participants follow the session leader with a series of dance movements developed through the Department for Health at the University. These strengthen muscles in the legs, improve cardiovascular fitness and develop upper body flexibility. Keen to foster links with a range of community groups, Golden-Oldies is also involved in intergenerational history projects with local schools, which benefit young and old alike. “Golden-Oldies refer to themselves as the ‘Sing and Smile’ charity,” says Managing Director Andrew Peirce. “They bring fun and friendship to the lives of people who are otherwise very isolated. It’s truly inspired!” Cosyfeet specialises in footwear, socks and hosiery for people with swollen feet. Many of their customers are over 65, an age group often affected by loneliness. With this in mind, Cosyfeet are delighted to support organisations that enrich the lives of the elderly through the Cosyfeet Community Award. To find out more about the Cosyfeet Community Award see www.cosyfeet.com/communityaward To find out more about the Golden-Oldies Charity and how you could get involved see http://www.golden-oldies.org.uk ENDS South Somerset BIG SING On Friday October 2 Goldies from across Somerset joined forces with children from a Yeovil school for a Goldies BIG SING. Goldies from Yeovil hosted the event at their Milford Hall venue welcoming Goldies from Street, Chard and Ilminster to the party. Around 70 older people attended the afternoon with 4 Session Leaders to lead the fun. 20 children from Holy Trinity School also joined the BIG SING. Earlier in the year, Goldies were invited to the school to take part in their commemorative WW1 event and the Goldies couldn’t wait to invite the children back. The children presented work to the Goldies explaining subjects they we concentrating on and showing pictures of work from the school. A lovely array of tea and cakes were provided by the Yeovil Goldies and everyone tucked into something sweet before raucous renditions of our favourite Goldie songs. Everyone joined in with the actions to The Music Man and plenty of swaying took place with ABBA’s Dancing Queen. The children had lots of fun, parents arrived towards the end and joined in the singing and the Goldies are eager for an invite back to the school. We are thankful to Pauline Burr of South Somerset District Council and the Somerset Community Foundation for their continued support with our Somerset sessions. PRESS RELEASE
Monday September 28, 2015 If you enjoy a good old fashion sing-along then St Paul’s Church, Hay Lane, Braintree, is the place to be on Saturday October 17. From 2pm until 5pm a free admission event will celebrate the success of the Goldies Charity as it develops across Essex. Special guests will be the Braintree Male Voice Choir but there will be plenty of opportunities for everyone to sing and smile. The Goldies Charity was started in the West of England by Bath based music man Grenville Jones nine years ago. Since that time it has developed across England and Wales and the daytime singing and activity sessions based on the hits of the 60s onwards are enjoyed by thousands of older people. In Braintree Goldies works in partnership with Greenfields Community Housing and many of the sessions take place within their sheltered housing schemes. Former Anglican Minister Rob Cadman is the enthusiastic leader of Goldies in Essex, he said; “We hope that many people will come and join us at St Paul’s on October 17. There will be refreshments, entertainment and lots of fun for everyone. We are delighted that Braintree Male Voice Choir will join us and the fantastic Braintree Lions have supported our community transport costs for the day.” For more details contact Rob on 07860 945232. ENDS Caption : Songs and smiles with Goldies across Essex. Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934 or Rob Cadman on 07860 945232. PRESS RELEASE
Image - Sing and smile with the Goldies Thursday October 1, 2015 Sing and Smile charity launches in Silsden A charity that has singing and smiling at its heart is launching fun daytime sessions for older people in Silsden on Thursday October 29. Golden-Oldies was started by West Country music man Grenville Jones eight years ago. Grenville is well known with his work with choirs and in particular the famous Bath Male Choir who reached the finals of the BBC’s Last Choir Standing competition. Grenville launched ‘Goldies’, as it is more fondly known, with four fun daytime singing and activity sessions in and around the Bath area taking the initial sessions himself. The sessions soon developed across Somerset and Bristol and in 2009 Sir Cliff Richard agreed to become its Patron. For Grenville Jones it really is a case of ‘coming home’. His parents both originated from the Bradford area and Grenville remembers the times when he used to visit as a young boy. The growth of Goldies has been quite remarkable since that time and by the end of 2015 there will be 38 dedicated session leaders taking 140 groups across England and Wales. Most recently Goldies was launched in Essex and Staffordshire and under the Goldies CYMRU banner, supported by a Wales Lottery Grant, there has been a rapid increase in sessions. The Rev’d Ruth Crompton is Minister at Silsden Methodist Church. Through her friendship with Anne Griffiths who leads Goldies in Staffordshire, she discovered how the charity was reaching out to make such a huge difference to the lives of older lonely people. Ruth said; “We all know that there are so many older people who lead lonely lives. There are few opportunities to get out and meet other people and singing of course is such good therapy. “The growth of Goldies really is truly remarkable and on Thursday October 29 we are delighted that Grenville Jones will be coming to Silsden to tell us more about his work with the charity and to lead our first session. “There is great enthusiasm for Goldies from people in our church and the Creative Supports Community Links Team. I firmly believe that this will be the platform that will lead to the growth of the Goldies Charity across Yorkshire.” The first session takes place at Silsden Methodist Church from 2pm until 3pm on Thursday October 29, everyone is welcome to attend to find just what Goldies is all about. Everyone is welcome to attend. ENDS Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934. PRESS RELEASE
Monday, September 28, 2015 Holy Trinity Church Hall, Shaw, hosted a celebration Big Sing for the Goldies Charity last Saturday September 26. Goldies, as it is more fondly known, was launched by Bath based music man Grenville Jones nine years ago with just four daytime singing and activity sessions for older people. Since that time the charity has grown to a point where it now runs over 140 sessions across England and Wales which include 12 in the Swindon area supported by Swindon Borough Council. The church hall was packed to capacity on Saturday with songs, smiles and performances from the Thamesdown Ladies Choir as well as children from Brook Field Primary School and Westlea Primary School. There was also a special performance by the folk who attend the new Goldies Broad Street session in the centre of the town. Special guests were the Mayor of Swindon Cllr Andrew Bennett and Robert Buckland MP who delighted everyone with an impromptu Frank Sintra performance. Goldies founder Grenville Jones said; “Everyone had a marvelous time and we are so grateful to the ladies from the choir and the children for giving up their Saturday afternoon to take part.” ENDS Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934. PRESS RELEASE and Photocall ..
Saturday September 26th 2.00pm-4.30pm A charity that brings songs and smiles to older people across Swindon will be holding a free admission celebration event on Saturday afternoon September 26. The venue is Holy Trinity Church Hall, Shaw Village Centre, Ramleaze Drive, Shaw from 2.00pm until 4.30pm. “Goldies,” as it is fondly known, was started by music man Grenville Jones eight years ago. Grenville hails from Swindon but moved to Bath in the early 1970s. He is one of the leading choir conductors in the West of England and launched his charity Golden-Oldies to brighten the lives of older vulnerable people. From four initial sessions in and around Bath in 2008 taken by himself there are now over 130 singing and activity sessions across England and Wales. Swindon Borough Council have supported Goldies in the town from the onset and the open BIG SING on September 26 will bring together folk who attend the sessions from across Swindon. Gayle Bryon leads sessions in the town, she said: “We are delighted that the Thamesdown Ladies Choir, children from Brook Field Primary School and Westlea Primary School will be providing the entertainment. There will of course be a mass Goldies sing-along and we are delighted that this will be taken by our founder Grenville Jones.” Swindon MP Robert Buckland will be adding his voice to proceedings and transport costs for the day have been supported by Swindon Lions Club. For further information please contact Gayle on 07753 610028. ENDS Press enquiries to Gayle Bryon on 07753 610028 or Grenville Jones on 07778 282934 Press Release
Tuesday August 4, 2015 With a song at its heart ---------------------------------------------- Our images show Goldies CYMRU at recent sessions in Adamsdown and Torfaen. --------------------------------------------- A charity that puts singing and smiles at the heart of all it does is taking off across Wales. Goldies Cymru or quite simply “Goldies,” organises daytime singing and activity sessions for older people. They are all based on the popular tunes of the 60s and onwards. Goldies Cymru launched in Wales four years ago with just two sessions. By the end of this year that number is expected to reach 50 with more planned for 2016. Cardiff Councillor for Pentwyn ward, Councillor Judith Woodman is a member of a Wales-based management board that is leading the work of the charity forward across Wales. “It is important to understand that our charity, Goldies is NOT a choir,” she said. “However the popular formula for singing along to the memory-evoking hits from Tom Jones, Petula Clark and Elvis, brings such joy at the sessions, you can almost touch the happiness!” The charity has just launched a project to encourage people to be GOLDEN VOLUNTEERS. Programme Leader for Wales Rachel Parry explains; “We want to attract older more active people to adopt their local Goldies session, to go along each month and help the session leader with simple very important tasks such as tea making, putting out the chairs, helping with the songs books AND singing along with our Goldies.” Goldies Cymru has gained many high profile supporters s including Lottery Wales, The Rest Grant Scheme Cardiff and the Moondance Foundation. There are many partnerships with others who support the elderly. These include the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation. There are now 38 monthly sessions across Wales. These include Cardiff, Torfaen, Swansea, Ammanford, Caerphilly, Rhondda Cynon Taff, with plans for more in the months ahead. Goldies Cymru employs 8 enthusiastic session leaders. Carol Pegler is one, she takes 10 sessions around Torfaen and Caerphilly. “I simply love Goldies . There are so many lonely older people with very little to brighten their lives. For many for the people I see, Goldies is one of the few time they get to enjoy the company of other and make new friends. “Goldies IS special, it is a simple formula but it works. Everyone loves a singalong.” Later this year it will introduce a book of Welsh folk songs performed by based singer-songwriter Nia Ann. Another aspect of the charities work is a schools programme called Time after Time. It encourages schools to open their doors to older people in their local communities. Over 60 schools across Wales have already taken part. Mike Oliver, is assistant head at Lewis School Pengam. He said "Our intergenerational partnership with Goldies has been a fantastic success, mostly due to the enthusiasm and professionalism of the volunteers who make it all work. We have between 50-60 people in for our lunch time club and they all love the community aspect of communal “Goldies” singing. It has been great to see our pupils joining in with the songs with our older guests and even more amazing to see some of our more challenging pupils doing it.“ Goldies Cymru is part of the Golden-Oldies charity which was founded by Bath based music man Grenville Jones 8 years ago. Across Wales and England there are now over 130 sessions including those for Afro Caribbean and Chinese older people and a session at Barton Hill Bristol for South Asian older people singing Bollywood songs. There are over 40 session leaders. New Areas for Goldies this year will include Cheshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire with new sessions being added in Essex and Staffordshire. Renowned Male Voice Choir conductor Dr Alwyn Humphreys is also a member of the Wales Management Board and a friend of Goldies founder Grenville Jones. “Both Grenville and I know how music and singing brings people together and at our Goldies sessions in Wales we have many very vulnerable people as well as those with dementia and Alzheimer’s. “Grenville recognised that singing reaches out to everyone and I am delighted to be a supporter as we take the work of Goldies Cymru forward across Wales.” www.goldiescymru.org.uk is the Welsh and English website which lists all the sessions and details of the schools Time after Time project. ENDS Contacts for Goldies Cymru Grenville Jones 0777 828 2934 Rachel Parry 0779714816 Children from Saltford Primary School will be one of the groups entertaining on stage at the Pavilion in North Parade on Saturday July 11. The free admission event is organised by the Goldies charity as part of their Heritage Lottery funded schools programme.
Also performing will be the B&NeS schools orchestra, the Curtain Up Theatre group and 150 singers for the Bath and Devizes Good Afternoon Choirs. The day runs from 11am to 3pm and everyone is welcome. There’s a World War One theme and is called Roses of Picardy, the biggest-selling sheet music song on the first world war, with words from Bath’s own master of song from that time, Fred Weatherly. As a preliminary to the day Saltford Primary School Key Stage 2 children presented “Our Memories in Song” on June 18 , organised as part of the bi-annual Saltford Festival. Inspired by the Golden-Oldies charity, the children performed a selection of popular World War One and Two Songs on Thursday afternoon in front of a packed audience of grandparents, friends of the school and older people who attend the Goldies fun singing sessions. Special guest was Ian Gilchrist, Chairman of the Bath & North East Somerset Council. Goldies founder Grenville Jones said; “The children arrived in school in costumes put together by parents and all looked fabulous as evacuees, the Land Army, the Armed Forces and other costumes dating back to war times. “The staff looked the part with the ladies from the WI and the men in costumes representing the armed forces. Following the impressive concert, the audience was treated to tea and cakes provided by, and served by, the staff and parents. “It was a lovely time for everyone and we look forward to hearing the Saltford children sing again at our Pavilion day on July 11.” Ends |
Archives
February 2024
Categories |