Watlington’s inclusive choir, a place where people say they build friendships and just have plain fun.

Held every Thursday evening, Watlington Community Choir ranges from bakers to teachers to parents, all singing songs that go from the Beatles to folk songs. I attended one of their Choir sessions to get an insight into the fun and chill environment of their practice, and it was a joy to be surrounded by those who attend.

 

The sense of community and friendship between these people really shined through, between the amazing songs they sang, smiles and laughter filled the room, as well as background chatter between friends old and new alike.

Talking to a few members, the reoccurring theme they mentioned was how Choir practice is a highlight of their week, as there’s no high expectations and they “enjoy the ability to just sing” and “forget about any worries or problems” that normally bare down on them. They also talked about how having a group to sing in is reassuring and not pressuring, as it helps with any nerves they have and is generally more joyful to sing with other people.

 

Watlington Community Choir was taken over by the amazingly musically talented Susie Ingram after lockdown, who makes the Choir an open activity to anybody who wants to join. She loves the enthusiasm people bring with them to the Choir, and is driven by her passion of music to help people feel more confident in their abilities and to simply share her love of singing.

For the Choir’s future, Susie plans to keep it fun and accessible to anybody who want to join. The Choir is already established in our community, being asked to perform in several places. One of these being a Christmas Concert held in our local church for the past few years, alongside theatre stars Fra Free and Declan Bennett!

Overall, the Watlington Community Choir is a group of fantastic everyday people united by the simple joy of singing, and I hope they enjoy practicing and performing in the years to come.