Project: Contribution towards hall hire and the purchase of new folders
Grant: £1,500
Fund: South Bucks
Stoke Poges Singers (SPS) is a local choir that has been in existence for 46 years and has regularly had a membership of between 35 and 50 people. They hold concerts to raise money for other charities and over the years have been able to donate to many local causes.
The choir also helps to combat loneliness by providing an opportunity to join in with others who enjoy singing, providing social interaction and a sense of belonging to a group, which is very important to many. For instance one lady whose husband is suffering with dementia continues to attend and bring him with her and it is a vital opportunity for her to continue doing something she loves whilst continuing to include her husband.
SPS were anxious not to have to raise subscriptions for their members as many are retired and an increase could prove difficult. However their costs are continuing to increase, including the cost of hiring the hall where they rehearse every week. They also needed to replace their music folders which were falling apart.
SPS were awarded a grant of £1,500 from our South Bucks fund, commenting on the funding they said:
The contribution has helped enormously. By covering some of the costs of hall hire we have been able to maintain the previous year’s subscription charges as well as increase our membership by about 12 new people. The new folders have given everyone a boost as well as making our concerts much easier to manage and allows us to look much more together.
