Goldies
The Trust is one of the partners of the
Golden-Oldies charity, led by Grenville Jones. The golden-oldies
are the music of the 50s 60s and 70s, which the Goldies – people of
around 60 and over – sing at fun, happy sessions. These are held at
many of the Trust's sheltered housing schemes.
Grenville is a
well-known choir leader and his Bath Male Choir reached the last
five in the BBC's recent series Last Choir Standing. We met him to
find out more...
Has the Goldies been a success?
We've had such a good response from folk wanting to get involved
and take part. We've had a lot of media interest too, from as far
away as Germany and Canada, and this has really helped to spread
the word. By the end of this year, Golden-Oldies will reach across
the west of England, with regular sessions from Swindon to
Somerton, Westbury to Weston-super-Mare and Gloucester to
Glastonbury.
What is the feedback you've had from residents?
The ethos of Golden-Oldies is simple: to give elderly and
isolated people something to look forward to. People love to join
in! Singing makes you smile, is good for your health and is a
wonderful way of making friends.
What's next for the Goldies?
We are currently planning our development for the next three
years and talking to housing providers across the country. My
vision is to host a BIG SING in London in four years time with
Goldies descending on the capital from around the UK to enjoy a
very special day out.
At the moment, we are also looking for session-takers to help us
– if you can press the start button on a CD player, love to sing
and love your nan, then we want to hear from you! We will pay you
£30 for each session plus mileage.