Category Archives: Events

RNLI Carol singing at Leigh station 2025

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Southend Bach Choir enjoyed a festive evening of carol singing at Leigh Station last night, raising £387.00 for the RNLI.

Although this was slightly down on last year — partly due to train delays causing some passengers to rush home — it was still an excellent result for just two hours of singing. The choir would like to extend their very grateful thanks to Tom and the team at the station, who were not only friendly and welcoming but also helped make the evening run smoothly.

The annual Leigh Station carol singing is always a highlight of the festive season, bringing music, cheer, and community spirit to commuters and passersby alike, all while supporting the vital work of the RNLI.

Thank you to everyone who stopped to listen, donated, or joined in singing along — your generosity helps make a difference.

“Music of the World” charity concert

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What an incredible evening! We were honoured to take part in the Sold Out Charity Concert in aid of Prostate Cancer Research at the Southend Hospital Oncology Department, held in the presence of the High Sheriff of Essex and the Mayor of Southend.

Together with The Leigh Orpheus Male Voice Choir, The Ondines, Mandala Jazz, Anandadhara Indian music, Catherine Lima and her band, and Lele Bizzoca, we helped raise an amazing £22,000 for this vital cause.

A heartfelt thank you to the Radisson Park Inn for donating their ballroom, and to everyone who performed, volunteered, and supported the event — your generosity made it possible.

Music truly can make a difference! 🎵💫

Our choir to participate in fund-raising musical event

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There is to be an amazing fund-raising concert for Prostate Cancer Research at the Oncology Department of Southend Hospital in the presence of The High Sheriff of Essex and the Mayor of Southend.

The Leigh Orpheus Male Voice Choir, The Southend Bach Choir, The Ondines all girl band, Mandala Jazz, Anandadhara Indian music, Catherine Lima and her band, and Lele Bizzoca Classic Guitarist are all taking part.  

The Radisson Park Inn have donated the ballroom and none of the participants are charging, so all the proceeds are going to Prostate Cancer research. 

In addition to the wonderful music, there will be a raffle with some amazing prizes including dinner for two at Leigh Bistro, a case of Champagne, Spa Day at the Athenaeum, tickets for Southend Football Club and tickets for Adventure Island & Sea Life adventure, 2 tickets for “The Bodyguard” at the Cliffs Pavillion, £250 vouchers for a stay on The Isle of Wight, a £500 voucher for fantastic contemporary furniture from cultfurniture.com 

Tickets: £25 by phoning 07786864263 – limited to 200, so hurry. You can also book tickets here.

Further information from Tom Gough GouT408@aol.com or 07831573001 

RNLI Singing at Leigh Station – 19th December 2023

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A group of us met at Leigh station last Tuesday for carols in support of the RNLI. We had a good sing – a cappella style using the wonders of modern technology, a mobile phone with a piano app, to get our notes. The cakes from the coffee shop were a welcome treat – such a kind gesture from the proprietor. 

We raised over £745 – not a bad amount for 2 hours of singing and we must thank the rail passengers for the most generous giving. Well done to everyone who came along. The money we raised this year now takes the total support to the RNLI by the Southend Bach Choir to over £5,523.

St Augustine’s Christmas Fair

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Some of our members attended the St Augustine’s Christmas Fair to promote the choir. This was purely a public relations exercise to let people know who we are, the work we do, and a name for the public to look for. We engaged with anyone who passed by. But recruitment in this format was a failure.

If there was any doubt of our presence, it came at the end when everyone was waiting for the draw to commence. There were endless delays and people became fidgety. At this point, the two members of the Southend Bach Choir began bawling “Why are we waiting?” to the tune of Adeste Fidelis. The public willingly joined-in with much laughter. The draw began within 30 seconds!

RNLI Singing @ Leigh Station – 15th December 2022

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Will there be a train strike or won’t there? That was one of the questions we were asking when planning our annual support to the RNLI with Carol Singing at Leigh Station. Luckily on the day we’d planned to go there were no strikes although the train timetable was suffering a little from strikes close to the day. So several members of the choir braved the bitterly cold weather and sang heartily to the commuters as they travelled home. Carols old and new and a couple renditions of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. Commuter traffic may have been a bit lighter than normal due to the ongoing rail strikes but those who did pass through were quite generous and we managed to raise £303 for the RNLI.

It was the first time since 2019 that we’d been able to support the RNLI in this way due to the COVID pandemic,. It was good to get back to our normal Christmas events. The money we raised this year now takes the total support to the RNLI by the Southend Bach Choir to over £4,778.

SOSAC Open Day – 22nd February 2020

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Members of the choir supported this years SOSAC Open Day held in the Royals Shopping Centre, Southend-on-Sea. The participating groups were able to share a common love of arts and allow members of the public to see for themselves the wide diversity that the town’s amateur organisations have to offer.

SOSAC 2020
SOSAC 2020
SOSAC 2020
SOSAC 2020

RNLI Singing at Leigh Station – 18th December 2019

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Several members of the choir took some time out from their busy Christmas preparations to sing carols to commuters at Leigh Station. Songs ranged from traditional carols to Christmas songs and even the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.

Thanks to the generosity of the many commuters we raised £460 for the RNLI. The choir enjoyed it, the commuters enjoyed it and the RNLI were grateful recipients. Over the years we’ve been supporting the RNLI in this way we’ve raised over £4,475.

RNLI Carols 2019

Visit to the RNLI Boat Station

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Each year when the choir sings for the RNLI, they invite us to the life boat station for a tour to say thank you for our help. Well this year we decided to take them up on their offer and on Friday, 2nd August a number of the choir met at the station. We were treated to a tour of the hover craft and life boat and the kit room. It was such an informative visit, our guides telling us of the wonderful work the volunteers perform and the cost of that work. It certainly puts our carol collecting in perspective when we learnt that our average yearly donation simply helps to pay for a life jacket.

Following the tour most of the group headed for refreshments at a sea front cafe. An excellent social event and lots of good fun. Some pictures of the group are below.