Issue - meetings

To welcome the following organisations to the Forum:

·      Ruth Yule of the Chesterton Choral Society https://chestertonchoralsociety.org.uk/

·      Caitlin Deschenes, the Young People’s Puppet Theatre www.yppt.org.uk.

The Chair invited three residents within the north area of Cambridge to attend North Area Committee to talk about their interests / groups.

Ruth Yule spoke about the Chesterton Choral Society: 

i.               Chesterton Choral Society – We are a friendly amateur choir based in Chesterton, Cambridge, UK. Our members come from many areas though we are proud of our local Chesterton roots.

ii.             Rehearsals took place from 7.30pm – 9pm on Mondays during term time at Chesterton Methodist Church in Green End Road.

iii.            Everyone was welcome and there were no auditions.

iv.           Public concerts took place at the end of each term with the next one taking place Wednesday 22 March at 7.30pm at St Andrews Church.

v.             Noted that there were other choirs within North Area; 

a.    Sing! Choirs Cambridge [Choirs - Sing! Choirs (singchoirs.com) meet in Mayfield Primary.

b.    Rock Choir [Rock Choir | The UK's original, award-winning, local, contemporary choir!] meet in The Church of the Good Shepherd, Mansel Way.

c.    Orlando Singers, which is an auditioned chamber choir of singers drawn from around Cambridgeshire; they rehearse in St Andrew’s Church Hall, Chesterton [About us - Orlando SingersOrlando Singers | a chamber choir for Cambridge].

Councillor Gawthrope Wood asked whether consideration had been given to doing a joint concert with other choirs in the north of Cambridge. Asked whether Chesterton Choral Society might consider performing at Arbury Carnival.

Action: To check consent and share contact details with Cllr Gawthrope Wood.

Councillor Swift also noted that there was the Cambridge Philharmonic Choir.

Caitlin Duschenes spoke about the Young People’s Puppet Theatre (YPPT):

i.               http://www.yppt.org.uk/

ii.             YPPT worked with children in schools (usually years 5/6) to design and make their own marionette and then put on a show. The children were involved in every part of the process of putting on a show for e.g. making the marionette, creating costumes, creating the sets, practicing voices, acting, characterisation and producing the show, technical, lighting and sounds effects.

iii.            The aim was to build children’s confidence, resilience, and other skills through the arts.

iv.           Found it difficult during the covid pandemic but they had been able to ‘bubble’ with schools and continue to run their projects. Had noted that children needed extra support since the covid pandemic.

v.             Had worked with a mental health practitioner and trained them so that they could use the skills provided by YPPT in their own work to help others.

Vicki Kenney spoke about being a jazz musician and a music therapist:

i.                     www.vickikennymusic.com

ii.             Was a jazz pianist and music director of a group called the Alley Cats. They had worked with the children’s hospice in Milton.

iii.            They were a therapeutic teacher and worked with children who had autism.

iv.           Wanted to focus on trying to encourage girls to be interested in jazz music.