{"id":15973,"date":"2025-12-23T16:58:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T14:58:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ceidiog.com\/pr\/?p=15973"},"modified":"2025-12-23T16:58:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T14:58:16","slug":"it-took-me-right-back-care-home-residents-moved-by-surprise-choir-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ceidiog.com\/pr\/pr\/it-took-me-right-back-care-home-residents-moved-by-surprise-choir-visit\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cIt took me right back\u201d \u2013 care home residents moved by surprise choir visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Care home residents were treated to a surprise musical performance as a volunteer choir helped mark a major 40th<\/sup> anniversary milestone.<\/p>\n

The feel-good singers from the Hall\u00e9 Ancoats Community Choir travelled to Wrexham to perform festive favourites at two homes run by the care organisation Pendine Park.<\/p>\n

Twenty members of the choir made the journey from Manchester as part of Pendine\u2019s anniversary celebrations, marking four decades of providing social care.<\/p>\n

Founders Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, opened their first care home at Gwern Alyn in 1985 and the organisation has grown to nine homes across Wrexham and Caernarfon.<\/p>\n

Their performances at the Penybryn and Highfield care homes also coincided with Pendine\u2019s Christmas activities programme so they chose a heart-warming repertoire of festive carols to entertain their delighted audience.<\/p>\n

The residents of both homes were thrilled to welcome the choir, led by professional conductor and composer, Stuart Overington.<\/p>\n

He said it was a wonderful time of year to be visiting the homes with their seasonal decorations on show, and to see so many residents donning festive hats and jumpers.<\/p>\n

The choir focused on Christmas classics, familiar to all ages, including Silent Night, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark the Herald Angels Sing and Stuart Overington\u2019s personal favourite, In the Bleak Midwinter.<\/p>\n

Penybryn resident Emma Barber said the traditional Christmas choral singing transported her back to her younger years.<\/p>\n

Thanking all the talented vocalists for making the journey, Emma said: \u201cIt was so joyful to listen to. It took me right back to my schooldays, when we would all sing in morning assembly and at our annual nativity concerts. I was right back there.\u201d<\/p>\n

She told the choir: \u201cYou make a beautiful sound, we are so pleased to have you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The community choir is associated with the world famous Hall\u00e9 Orchestra and Choir founded in Manchester in 1858 by Sir Charles Hall\u00e9. His fundamental belief that music should be for everyone remains central to the orchestra\u2019s vision today, as it works to promote music in the community through a number of outreach projects.<\/p>\n

One of these projects has resulted in a strong bond being forged between the Hall\u00e9 and Pendine whose arts-loving owners, Mario and Gill, are fervent believers in the power of music to enrich people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

They established the Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT) to support local arts, cultural activities and community groups.<\/p>\n

Two Hall\u00e9 orchestra members, violinist Caroline Abbott and cellist David Petri, regularly visit Pendine\u2019s homes to lead hugely popular music sessions.<\/p>\n

Caroline and David accompanied the community choir members on their visit and said it was great to be back and to be able to deliver their Christmas wishes to residents in person.<\/p>\n

Jessica Harper, Hall\u00e9 Community Outreach and Choir Administrator, said: \u201cThe Hall\u00e9 and Pendine Park have been good friends for some years now having worked together on a number of projects, including the successful workshops with Caroline and David.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, when we discovered that this December marks Pendine Park\u2019s landmark 40th anniversary, the Hall\u00e9 decided it would be nice to deliver an extra special gift of music to the birthday party.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s when we arranged for some of our Ancoats Community Choir singers to come along and perform Christmas carols.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pendine Park Consultant Artist in Residence Sarah Edwards, said it was a pleasure for the residents and staff to be entertained by such a beautiful choir.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cOur relationship with Caroline and David and everyone at the Hall\u00e9 is very important to us. Their work has been invaluable in expanding our musical enrichment programme for residents.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving such first class singers and instrumentalists on hand is inspiring and we could all feel the good vibe spreading around the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur residents find music of all kinds can be so uplifting and it can trigger many memories. Today\u2019s performance was a great example of that.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot thank the choir members enough for taking the trouble to travel over from Manchester and perform for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

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