'Our inclusive choir gives us freedom to be ourselves'

Members of an inclusive community choir in York have said singing in it makes them feel "joyful" and free to be themselves.

The Flourish Vocal Choir was initially aimed at people living with dementia to combat loneliness and isolation when it was founded in 2015.

Three years later, it was taken over by Tang Hall SMART, a creative social enterprise in the city, and expanded to include people with learning disabilities ranging from 18 to 84 years old.

The choir "helps people's wellbeing" and "lifts their spirits", said its director Joe Christie.

"Because rehearsal is on a Monday morning, they don't always want to come," he added.

"But then they do and they have a good sing."

For Ewan Harth, who has the rare genetic condition Williams Syndrome, the choir "means being alive and being with your friends".

"It makes me feel quite glad and happy inside, it gives me butterflies," he said.

He encouraged others to join the group and to "just enjoy themselves".

"Be the best person that you can be - there's no better person than you so just be the best that you can."

Chloe McGrath has been a member of the choir since 2018 and said it had become "part of my life".

"I've developed into a helping-out role and I now play the piano for the choir which I really enjoy doing."

The 22-year-old eventually hopes to lead a choir herself.

"I've become friends with some of the elderly people and I've become really close to them."

Sessions were paused during the Covid-19 pandemic, but meetings continued on Zoom.

Later, when restrictions allowed, Christie "went around people's houses and played the piano on their driveway and sang with them through the window".

He said the choir was "magic" and instilled a passion for music.

Staff at Tang Hall SMART have also benefitted from the project, according to support assistant Kerri Merriman.

"Although my role is working in the choir, I've also made friends here," she said.

"It's given me a real sense of community and belonging."

Finn Sainty and his mother Linda have been attending Flourish together for almost a year.

Finn said it was "so much fun and makes me happy".

"I love that we sing a variety of styles of music, I love that it's relaxed and that you can just be yourself," Linda added.

"I'm quite expressive and when you're around a group of people who are socially uninhibited, it's just lovely."

She said the choir made her "really happy, relaxed and joyful and free to be myself".

Research suggests strangers can forge strong bonds by singing together, as well as it having positive benefits to physical and mental health.

Christie added: "I love the social aspect of it and watching friendships grow."

He said anybody who wanted to should join a choir.

"There's no such thing as not being able to sing," he said.

"I believe that if you've got a voice, then you can sing."

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.