Bereaved man says choir 'companionship' helped his grief

A bereaved man has credited a 10-week community choir project with helping him to navigate his loss.

Rod Gay, 78, from Rowanfield, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, said joining the West Cheltenham Arts Community Choir - set up to serve less privileged areas of the borough - had brought him "companionship and friendship".

"I'd been looking for activities to occupy myself and the choir seemed a perfect opportunity," said Gay, adding he had since gone on to join another choir.

Maria Allebone, co‑founder of KAM Performing Arts Academy and the West Cheltenham Arts Project, said the success of the choir highlighted, "the power of free, accessible arts opportunities to bring communities together".

The West Cheltenham Arts Community Choir was created to help people living in less privileged areas of Cheltenham access the arts and creative activities, alongside other people living nearby.

Gay said it was important community projects like the choir existed and received funding: "It's about inclusion. No area of Cheltenham should be neglected."

"Singing and creative arts are a great method of expression. West Cheltenham is often not seen as an area prone to having creative activities, so it's great," Gay said.

Bonnie Toner, 72, from Springbank, said she "jumped at the chance" to join the choir.

"I think this neighbourhood needs a choir. We used to have one in the old days," she explained.

Toner said it was important for the arts to be made accessible in all neighbourhoods.

"It can't be just for a select few, it needs to be open to everybody," she added.

Maria Allebone, co‑founder of KAM and the West Cheltenham Arts Project, said the project had been born from seeing a "real need for accessible creative arts" in the area.

Parts of Springbank and Hester's Way in west Cheltenham rank among the 10% most-deprived neighbourhoods in England.

The 10‑week community choir project was led by KAM Performing Arts Academy, working in partnership with the Everyman Theatre and the West Cheltenham Partnership, with funding from Cheltenham Borough Council.

It focused on removing barriers such as cost, transport and mobility challenges for participants.

Allebone said the group had brought out "imagination, creativity, confidence" in people and had provided "a stepping stone to believing they can do anything they want to do".

The 10-week project ended with a performance from the choir at the Springbank Community Group CIC Cafe on Wednesday.

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