Care home choir to rock final with Queen hits

A care home choir in south-east London is swapping Vera Lynn nostalgia for Queen's rock classics as it gets ready to perform in the national final of Care Sector's Got Talent.

Residents, staff and volunteers from the Avery Songbirds choir at Beckenham Park Care Home said they were going to add a kind of magic to the event in Birmingham on Wednesday.

The choir has been rehearsing for weeks and will perform three Queen classics: Radio Ga Ga, I Want to Break Free and We Will Rock You.

Wellbeing assistant and choir leader Sorrell O'Sullivan said the choice of songs was also about challenging perceptions of life in a care home, adding: "We need to get rid of the stereotypes of Vera Lynn."

"When you go into a care home, life doesn't end. It's a new chapter. There is so much talent among our residents and workers and the fact we got to the final is proof."

The choir is made up of 15 residents, five members of staff and five volunteers.

Among the singers is former nursery teacher Gill, 72, who has lived at the care home since it opened four years ago.

"When I told my granddaughter I was taking part in the final, she said 'but Grandma, you can't sing'," she joked.

"On the day of the final I will be channelling Tina Turner energy. She was a brilliant singer. I used to love dressing up like Tina Turner and I used to have one of her rock-style wigs."

For 87-year-old resident Doreen, being part of the choir is an honour.

"I felt really privileged when they asked me to take part. Now we just need to win," she said.

There is an extra reason for Doreen to enjoy rehearsals. Her partner Ray is also part of the choir. She met Ray at the care home.

"He asked me out by asking if I would like a cup of tea," she said, laughing.

Ray, also 87, previously worked as a bookbinder before becoming a driving instructor. He says he does not sing without Doreen by his side.

For him, the competition is less about winning and more about being part of something together.

"Even if we don't win, it's more about taking part and working as a team," he said.

Gill and Doreen disagree, for them "it's all about winning".

For Carol, taking part is also a new experience.

"It's the first time I have done anything on such a big scale. It's all very exciting," she said.

For Sorrell, it is about showing that residents can still discover new passions, make friends and enjoy music from different eras.

"The residents really enjoyed working together. They've had a lot of fun. They've all had input into the songs. They've had input into the dance routines," she said.

"We even roped in our maintenance manager to be Freddie Mercury in drag."

There is a £5,000 prize for the winning choir.

But for the Avery Songbirds, the biggest achievement may already have happened: getting together, finding their voices and making music as a team.

Gill says meeting the other members of the choir has been just as important as the singing.

"Meeting all these lovely people has done a lot for us. We just need this to make us feel young again."

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