News Item

Chorus of approval for grant to choir

Community events in south Sefton have received a note-able boost after a gospel choir became the latest recipient of funding from a local grant scheme. The In Another Place Gospel Choir has received £1,000 from the Regenerus Ace Fund to enable it to continue performing at such events free of charge.

This was a special one-off ‘rollover’ grant from the Ace Fund which normally provides £500 each month to an environmental project in Regenerus’s core operating area of Bootle, Litherland, Seaforth and Netherton.

Applications from established community and voluntary organisations are welcome, but the Ace Fund is also open to informal groups of local residents joining forces to work on a one-off, green-related project.

The Gospel Choir established by Crosby-based charity In Another Place has more than 130 members, and regularly performs at a wide variety of events from church fetes and weddings to Christmas lights switch-ons and charity fun days.

As well as gospel favourites the choir also performs rousing versions of well-known pop hits like Bridge Over Troubled Water and He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother.

The grant from the Ace Fund will help the choir to pay for professional recordings of its repertoire, which they sing along live with at events to ensure their voices can be amplified sufficiently in sometimes difficult outdoor performing conditions.

Annie Spiers of In Another Place commented: “Our Gospel Choir does a great job in helping members to make friends, giving them an uplifting chance to sing and staging performances that pass on that inspiration and joy to hundreds of others. Everyone is delighted to have received this Ace Fund grant which will enable rehearsals and performances to run much more smoothly in future, especially those in the open air.”

Regenerus Ace Fund Co-ordinator, Eve Money, added: “We’re very pleased to have been able to support the choir who receive ‘rave reviews’ for the quality of their singing whenever they appear at community events across south Sefton. This grant also demonstrates why the Ace Fund guidelines have been left deliberately broad – basically we will consider any project that helps to improve the quality of life of residents in our operating area.”

For more information about future Ace Fund grant opportunities and an application form visit www.regenerus.org.uk or ring Regenerus on 0151-934 2637.