​KATHERINE JENKINS OBE & WELSH WW1 ‘GOLDIES’ EDUCATION PROJECT HIT THE HIGH NOTES WITH NATIONAL LOTTERY AWARD SUCCESS
 
Welsh singing sensation Katherine Jenkins today (September 12th 2018) surprised Cardiff-based project, Armistice Cantata, with the news that they have won Best Education Project in the National Lottery Awards 2018.

The mezzo soprano broke the news of the win to pupils at Thornhill Primary School in Cardiff, who piloted the intergenerational education project with Goldies charity founder Grenville Jones which commemorates the Centenary of the end of WW1 (November 11 2018)!

The National Lottery Awards are the annual search for the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects and celebrate the inspirational people and projects who do extraordinary things with National Lottery funding. Marking 100 years since the end of the Great War (November 11 2018), Armistice Cantata is part of a two-year intergenerational education project led by Grenville and his Goldies charity that encourages primary schools to open their doors to older people.

As part of the programme, from Goldies Cymru – which helps older people get involved in music through daytime FUN Songs and Smiles – teamed up with youngsters from Thornhill Primary school in Cardiff who have written a musical to celebrate the end of World War One. The children from Thornhill Primary appear on stage together in a 30-minute production, named Armistice Cantata. The musical – which includes popular songs from World War One – is now being rolled out to a number of schools across England and Wales. More than 7,000 children and 800 older people from the Goldies charity are taking part.

Katherine, who has been hailed as the new ‘Force’s Sweetheart’, has performed for British troops in war zones across the world over the years. She followed the announcement today by meeting school pupils and representatives from the Goldies Cymru charity who have developed a new friendship by taking part in the Armistice Cantata project whilst learning more about the Great War. Katherine releases her new album ‘Guiding Light’ on 30th November. 

Katherine, from Neath, South Wales, who has been dubbed new ‘Force’s Sweetheart for her performances to British troops across the globe, said: “I’m delighted to announce Armistice Cantata as the winner of the UK’s Best Education Project in the National Lottery Awards 2018. It’s thanks to National Lottery players, who raise £30 million each week for good causes, that amazing projects like this are possible.  

Grenville Jones, the Founder of the Golden-Oldies Charitable Trust and Goldies Cymru in South Wales, lost his Grandfather at the battle of the Somme in WW1. This personal history formed part of his decision to develop the WW1 inter-generational education programme. 

He added: “I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who voted for us. We are delighted to be crowned the UK’s best Education project in the National Lottery Awards.  
 
“This is a remarkable project and it is very special because it can be adapted by schools who wish to localise their own productions. We have seen on so many occasions the joy that comes when children and older people meet together on school projects, especially when they are joined in song.”
 
The Goldies school project website is          www.ourmemories.org.uk
 
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For further information please contact Grenville Jones on 0777 828 2934 or The National Lottery Awards:
Oswyn Hughes on 07976 324 179 or email oswyn.hughes@Lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
 
PICTURE CAPTION: 
Welsh singing sensation, Katherine Jenkins, crowns Armistice Cantata the National Lottery’s Best Education Project.  

​PRESS RELEASE
 
 Wednesday, May 2, 2018
 
They wowed BBC Saturday night audiences on ‘All Together Now’ and on Saturday evening June 2 The Sundaes singing group will be top  the bill in a variety show at The Forum, Bath. The Sundaes are, quite simply, the ‘biggest’ girl group in town! With stunning vocals, sensational choreography and those flamboyant costumes.
 
Bath’s own Grenville Jones was one of the ‘100’ judges for the popular Saturday night BBC ‘All Together Now’, which was screened earlier this year.
 
“The Sundaes sang through to the final of the show and as soon as I saw them on stage at the BBC in  Manchester I knew that I had to book them to sing at a show in Bath. ” said Grenville.
 
Tickets are on sale priced £20 for the variety show at The Forum now from Bath Box Office on 01225 463362 and the evening is packed with personalities and performances. Grenville’s own celebrated Bath Male Choir will be singing. They hit the headlines on the BBC’s ‘Last Choir Standing’ and have since sung across Europe with a tour to Japan three years ago and a reputation for standing ovations..
 
Apart from Grenville’s many choirs he is the founder of the Golden-Oldies Charity which now has spread across the whole of England and Wales with its 150 FUN daytime singing for older isolated people.
 
A Grenville initiative was to introduce an intergenerational project with his charity and schools. This year the focus is on the final months of WW1 with a project supported by Heritage Lottery, the Royal British Legion and others. The first half of his show on June 2 will be a poignant performance by young people from the Curtain-Up Theatre Group of a production entitled Armistice Cantata, a unique new focus on the end of WW1 written by children for young people to perform.
 
There will also be community singing for all with those well-loved songs of 100 years ago; ‘Pack Up Your Troubles’, ‘Tipperary’ and much more.
 
“Tickets priced £20 from Bath Box Office for a really special evening,” says Grenville.
 
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Picture shows The Sundaes …
 
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.
 

​PRESS RELEASE
 
Thursday, February 1, 2018
 
A concert at High Street Methodist Church, Witney, on Saturday March 10 sees the return of the celebrated Bath Male Choir. The ‘boys from Bath’ were founded by Bath’s ‘Mr Music’ Grenville Jones in 2007. Soon after the choir were invited to sing on a major new Saturday evening BBC1 show entitled ‘Last Choir Standing’ they reached the finals of the popular series which has since been shown Worldwide by the BBC.
 
In recent years the choir have sung across the United Kingdom and Europe, in 2014 they were the first amateur male choir to visit Japan with Standing Ovations all the way! On Remembrance Sunday 2016 Bath Male Choir were invited to sing at the renowned Menin Gate ‘Last Post Ceremony’ in front of an audience of thousands.
 
The Choir have raised many thousands of pounds for various charities. After losing a popular member of its bass section in 2016 last year they raised £12,440 for the British Heart Foundation.
 
The choir are delighted to be returning to High Street Methodist Church to renew their friendship with the Reed family, Paul having been a member of the choir for a number of years when they lived in the City of Bath. Paul’s wife Melanie is Minister at the Church.
 
“He’s on the Tele” … the choirs founder conductor Grenville Jones has been one of the ‘100’ judges in the BBC1’s popular Saturday night series ‘All Together Now’ which is currently running on Saturday evenings with the final going out on Saturday March 3rd.
 
Guest soloist will be Becki Reed. After discovering a love of singing at an early age, Becki began private tuition at the age of eight, and turned professional at thirteen. She has sung all over the country, but made her operatic debut in Cardiff singing the main role in a new opera, 'The flooding of the plains of Gwelod' in 2009. Becki then went on to earn a prestigious place at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Greenwich, where she studied Vocal Performance, Musical Theatre and Singing Tuition.
 
Tickets for the concert are priced £12 adults £5 under 19s and are available from High Street Methodist Church Coffee Bar on 01993 709205 or St Andrew’s Book Shop on 01993 709429.
 
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Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.

PRESS RELEASE
Monday, January 29, 2018
 
If you watched the new BBC1 show All Together Now last Saturday evening at 7.15pm you may have seen a familiar face amongst the judges.
 
Bath’s own Mr Music, Grenville Jones, is one of the panel called, ‘The 100’ who choose the winners each week to go forward to sing for a massive £50,000 prize in the sing-off final show on March 3.
 
Dubbed by the BBC as, ‘A singing show with a difference’, 10 acts perform each week for the 100 judges sat in front of them, which includes former Spice-Girl Geri Horner. Two winners each week go through to the final show. Stand-up comedian Rob Beckett presents the show which comes from the BBC studios in Manchester.
 
The 100 judges come from across the UK and represent all genres of music. Grenville’s reputation as a choir leader led to his invitation to be part of the exclusive group. He is also the founder of the Golden-Oldies Charity whose fun formula of daytime sing-alongs for older isolated people now reaches across England and Wales.
 
Grenville says;
 
“It’s a great series and certainly different from all the other TV talent and singing shows. The format of judging by a large group representing all types of music and entertainment makes for some fascinating viewing.”
 
Grenville’s list of choirs now numbers 14 which include the famous ‘Last Choir Standing’ Bath Male Choir. He is also the author of the popular choir novel Deep Harmony which has just been re-published with the addition of a final chapter answering the cliffhanger question – what happened next?
 
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Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.
 ​

​PRESS RELEASE
 
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
 
In Memory of Tony
 
Frome’s Merlin Theatre will host a very special concert on Sunday evening September 24.
 
Featuring the celebrated Bath Male Choir the concert will support the British Heart Foundation and a 2017 fundraising drive in memory of former choir member, Tony Pickett.
 
Tony, who lived in Frome, had sung in the choir since it started 10 years ago. Choir members were devastated when Tony died after a heart attack whilst out cycling last July.
 
After a discussion with Tony’s partner Ginette, BHF was chosen to benefit from a number of fundraising concerts and special events, including a new CD from the choir called ‘Reflections’. In March Simon Kale from the tenor section of the choir, and a friend of Tony’s, ran the London Marathon raising over £5,000.
 
The Merlin Theatre concert will also feature the popular Courage Choir from Bradford on Avon and it promises to be a very special evening.
 
Tickets are on sale from the Merlin Theatre Box Office priced £15 telephone 01373 465949.
 
Looking ahead, on October 14 Bath Male Choir will continue their fundraising when they welcome the famous Morriston Orpheus Choir to a concert at St Swithin’s Church, Bath. Ticket line 01225 463362.
 
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Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.

​PRESS RELEASE


Monday 3rd July, 2017


The popular Devizes Good Afternoon Choir will be staging their next concert at the Corn Exchange on Saturday July 29th at 7.30pm.


The 100 strong choir who meet at St Andrews Church every Friday afternoon from 2-4pm, under the leadership of Baths music-man Grenville Jones will welcome the top barbershop quartet, ShoBaSs as guests for their concert.


Devizes Good Afternoon Choir attracts members from across Wiltshire and membership numbers have grown steadily from when Grenville launched the choir back in 2011. Since that time it has raised many hundreds of pounds for local charities.


Tickets for the July 29th concert are available from choir members or direct from 01761 472468, priced £10 each or £6 for under 12’s.


www.goodafternoonchoir.org


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Press enquiries to Grenville Jones 07778 282934

PRESS RELEASE
 
Monday May 8, 2017
 
 
A new CD from Bath Male Choir has just been released supporting the British Heart Foundation.
 
Famous for their appearances on the BBC Last Choir Standing series and concerts around the UK and Europe, the choir last July lost a much-loved member of their bass section, Tony Pickett.
 
Tony’s sudden death from a heart attack came as a great shock to the members of Bath Male Choir. After discussion with Tony’s partner, choir members decided that they would raise money through 2017 for the British Heart Foundation.
 
The new CD entitled ‘Reflections’ features 14 songs and is available through the choir website www.bathmalechoir.org.
 
The choir has already raised £8,000 this year. Simon Kale ran the London Marathon two weeks ago raising £5,000 and fellow bass Steve West organised a night of music which raised a further £2,000. Further concerts have added a £1,000 and there are a number of other fundraising events and concerts in the pipeline, including a visit of the famous Morriston Orpheus Choir on Saturday October 14.
 
Grenville Jones is founder conductor of Bath Male Choir and also the Bath Chorus, of which Tony Pickett was also a long-term member, Grenville said;
 
“Members of both choirs are now supporting BHF and I am sure that we can raise a substantial amount of money by the end of the year in memory of Tony.
 
“The CD contains both old and new songs from the Bath Male Choir repertoire and it will help us to boost our final total for the British Heart Foundation.”
 
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​Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.