PRESS RELEASE
 
Tuesday 8 March 2022
 
The popular North Somerset Good Afternoon Choir will present their first concert of the year at Nailsea Methodist Church on Saturday evening April 2 at 7.30pm
 
The choir is led by Ruth Jenkins with over 70 enthusiastic members who are busy preparing their programme for the concert which will support the Springboard Opportunity Group, a charity chosen by the members of the choir.
 
The Good Afternoon Choirs were started by Bath-based Grenville Jones 12 years ago and there are now 19 across the South West of England with over 800 members ‘Singing in the Afternoon’.
 
There are no auditions to join and members of the North Somerset Good Afternoon Choir come from in and around the area, they meet every Wednesday afternoon from 1pm-3pm at Nailsea Methodist Church. Everyone is welcome to come along and meet Ruth and the members of the choir.
 
The special guest for the concert will be world travelled solo violinist Lizz Lipscombe. Her most prestigious moments in previous years include performing and recording with Smokey Robinson, Richard Hawley, Newton Faulkner and Peter Gabriel. Playing live on BBC2 radio with Bob Harris and on TV for ‘Songs of Praise’ and ‘Later . . . with Jools Holland’.
 
Tickets priced £10 are on sale from members of North Somerset Good Afternoon Choir or by calling 01761 472468 – they will also be available on the door on the night of the concert.
 
Ruth Jenkins said;
 
“It is going to be a great night of music and of course this will be the first time that the North Somerset Good Afternoon Choir have performed at a public concert in over two years. We are absolutely delighted to be back singing again!”
 
ENDS
 
Picture shows : Lizz Lispcombe.
 
 
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.

PRESS RELEASE
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.
 
Tuesday 8 March 2022
 
 
They have performed to sell-out audiences around the World and on Saturday evening March 19th The City of Bath Male Choir will be at Temple Methodist Church in Taunton.
 
The Bath Male Choir was founded by Grenville Jones in 2007 and they hit the headlines when they reached the finals of the popular Saturday night BBC series ‘Last Choir Standing’. Since that time the choir have taken part in a number of tours around the World.
 
They have sung at concerts across the UK and Europe, took part in a hugely successful visit to Japan in 2014, with their most recent tour being to Boston, USA, in 2019. They sang as guests at the Menin Gate on Remembrance Sunday 2018.
 
Later this year they will visit Nashville.
 
Tickets priced £10 are on sale from members of Taunton Good Afternoon Choir or by calling 01761 472468 – they will be available on the door on the night of the concert, from 7.00pm.
 
Taunton’s popular Good Afternoon Choir will host the concert at Temple Methodist Church. They are led by Chris Grabham with over 60 enthusiastic members who are busy preparing their programme for the concert. It will support the Freewheelers Blood Bikes and Refugee Aid From Taunton, charities chosen by the members of the choir.
 
There are no auditions to join and members of the Taunton Good Afternoon Choir come from in and around the town, they meet every Tuesday afternoon from 2pm-4pm at Temple Methodist Church. Everyone is welcome to come along and meet Chris and the members of the choir.
 
There are 20 Good Afternoon Choirs across the West of England.
 
ENDS
 
 

PRESS RELEASE
 
Tuesday 8 March 2022
 

The popular Thornbury Good Afternoon Choir will present their first FREE ADMISSION concert of the year at St Mary’s Church, Thornbury, on Friday evening April 1 at 7.30pm.
 
The choir is led by Brendan Casey with over 70 enthusiastic members who are busy preparing their programme for the concert which will support JIGSAW Thornbury, a charity chosen by the members of the choir.
 
The Good Afternoon Choirs were started by Bath-based Grenville Jones 12 years ago and there are now 19 across the South West of England with over 800 members ‘Singing in the Afternoon’.
 
There are no auditions to join and members of the Thornbury Good Afternoon Choir come from in and around the area, they meet every Thursday afternoon from 1pm-3pm at the Turnberries Community Centre. Everyone is welcome to come along and meet Brendan and the members of the choir.
 
The special guests for the concert will be The Thornbury Ukeaholics. After attending weekly lessons, the members wanted to continue so retired to the local pub to continue playing. They still meet every week for a lively practice session and the addictive nature of the ukulele led to the name.
 
This is a FREE ADMISSION concert with a retiring collection for JIGSAW Thornbury, doors opening at 7.00pm.
 
Brendan Casey said;
 
“It is going to be a great night of music and of course this will be the first time that the Thornbury Good Afternoon Choir have performed at a public concert in over two years. We are absolutely delighted to be back singing again!”
 
ENDS
 
Picture shows : The Thornbury Ukeaholics.
 
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.

​PRESS RELEASE
 
Tuesday 8 February 2022
 
 
Frome’s popular Good Afternoon Choir will present their first concert of the year at Holy Trinity Church on Saturday March 5.
 
The choir is led by Matt Finch with over 70 enthusiastic members who are busy preparing their programme for the concert which will support the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, a charity chosen by the members of the choir.
 
The Good Afternoon Choirs were started by Bath-based Grenville Jones 12 years ago and there are now 19 across the South West of England with over 800 members ‘Singing in the Afternoon’.
 
There are no auditions to join and members of the Frome Good Afternoon Choir come from in and around the town, they meet every Monday afternoon from 2pm-4pm at Holy Trinity Church. Everyone is welcome to come along and meet Matt and the members of the choir.
 
The special guest for the concert will be baritone Brendan Casey who performed in leading musical theatre groups in New Zealand before moving to England. He combines being an in-demand soloist with also leading the Thornbury Good Afternoon Choir every Thursday.
 
Tickets priced £10 are on sale from members of Frome Good Afternoon Choir or by calling 01761 472468 – they will also be available on the door on the night of the concert.
 
Matt Finch said;
 
“It is going to be a great night of music and of course this will be the first time that the Frome Good Afternoon Choir have performed at a public concert in over two years. We are absolutely delighted to be back singing again!”
 
ENDS
 
Picture shows : We love to sing… the Frome Good Afternoon Choir who meet every Monday from 2pm-4pm at Holy Trinity Church, Frome.
 
 
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.

​Thursday, January 20, 2022
 
                                    A Christmas concert in January?
 
The popular Bath WelcomeChorus mixed-voice choir, conducted by Grenville Jones, were forced to close their Christmas concert on Saturday December 18 just after starting, when a potential fire hazard meant that St Michael’s Church in the city centre had to be evacuated.
 
Grenville Jones said;
 
“After working for so many week rehearsing and  preparing the items for the concert we were all pretty devastated when we quite literally had to leave the Church in the knowledge that the concert would not continue as the Fire Brigade had been called out to what later proved to be a minor fault in a heating unit.
 
“With the support of St Michael’s Church, the venue for that concert, we are returning on Saturday January 29 for what will be a Christmas Concert in January! We will perform most of the items that we had rehearsed for the December concert with some new additions. It will be a very special evening for the choir and our audience.”
 
There are some tickets available for the concert priced £15 or on sale on the door from 7pm.
 
The WelcomeChorus with over 70 members, have a busy schedule ahead for 2022 including a performance at Malmesbury Abbey on Saturday July 2 with the Malmesbury Community Choir. Prospective new members are always welcome on Thursday evenings from 7.45pm-9.30pm at St Bart’s Church in King Edward Road, Oldfield Park.
 
www.welcomechorus.org.uk
 
ENDS
 
                                                    Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.
 

PRESS RELEASE
 
Wednesday 14 July 2021
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.
www.grenvillejones.biz
 
 
Back to singing!
 
As the Government lifts Lockdown from next Monday July 19 the relaxation on indoor groups gives a green light to singing and choirs across the UK.
 
Recognised as one of the leaders in choral singing, Bath-based, Grenville Jones will be restarting and launching a number of new choirs across the West of England in the weeks ahead.
 
Said Grenville;
 
“We certainly have not been idle during these last few months and plans are in place. My popular Good Afternoon Choirs in Devizes, Wells, Keynsham and Bath as well as South Gloucestershire, Frome, Yeovil, Bristol, Thornbury, North Somerset and Yate and Chipping Sodbury were all forced to stop. They will all restart (as detailed below) with the addition of nine new Good Afternoon Choirs for folks in Cheltenham, Swindon, Cirencester and Stroud, Salisbury, Taunton, Cheddar Valley, Truro and Falmouth.
 
“In addition Grenville’s two evening choirs, the celebrated Bath Male Choir and his Bath Welcome Chorusmixed-voice choir of over 100 voices will begin rehearsals again in early September.
 
“It’s been such a hard time for the members of our choirs who have desperately missed the singing and social friendships, but at last, we can look forward to being together again, singing, smiling and planning concerts which will support many local organisations and charities,” adds Grenville.
 
“We introduced Zoom rehearsals as well as popular YouTube sofa singing during 2020/2021, but it’s just wonderful to be back ‘live’ again.”
 
There are no auditions required to join Grenville’s Good Afternoon Choirs. The accent is clearly on enjoyment through music together and making new friends. Over 800 people sang in the choir’s that were forced to close last March.
 
The Good Afternoon Choirs…
 
Wells Good Afternoon Choir will be moving to a new venue at St Thomas Church and starting back on Tuesday August 17 with Grenville leading and accompanist Sheila Ross.
 
Keynsham Good Afternoon Choir will start back on Wednesday August 18 with Grenville at the new venue of St John’s / Keynsham Parish Church with Sandie Middleton as accompanist.
 
The new Swindon Good Afternoon Choir will launch on Thursday August 26 with John Sandford and an open rehearsal at Freshbrook Church.
 
The new Salisbury Good Afternoon Choir will launch with an open rehearsal at Salisbury United Reformed Church on Friday August 27 with Andy Brockway as conductor.
 
The new Taunton Good Afternoon Choir will launch on Tuesday August 31 at Temple Methodist Church with talented local musician Chris Grabham.
 
North Somerset Good Afternoon Choir returns to Nailsea Methodist Church on Wednesday September 1 with, a new leader, Ruth Jenkins and accompanist Celia Holland.
 
South Gloucestershire Good Afternoon Choir starts back with leader Matt Finch on Wednesday September 1 at Kingswood Community Centre’s Great Hall.
 
Bath Good Afternoon Choir with Grenville will be starting back on Thursday September 2 at Bath Central United Reformed Church / Argyle Hall with accompanist Sandie Middleton.
 
Thornbury Good Afternoon Choir will start back on Thursday September 2 at Thornbury United Reformed Church with a new leader, the multi talented Brendan Casey.
 
Yeovil Good Afternoon Choir starts back on Friday September 3 with new conductor Chris Grabham at The Gateway, Yeovil Community Church.
 
Cornwall – two new Good Afternoon Choirs will start in Truro and Falmouth. The Truro Good Afternoon Choir will be taken by Andy Farris with the first open rehearsal ‘come and meet us’ on Monday September 6 at Truro Methodist Church. The Falmouth Good Afternoon Choir will also be taken by Andy starting on Friday September 3 with an open rehearsal at Falmouth Methodist Church.
 
Bristol Good Afternoon Choir will start back on Monday September 6 with John Sandford as the new leader at the new venue of St Monica Trust’s Oatley House Hall.
 
Frome Good Afternoon Choir starts back with its popular leader and conductor Matt Finch on Monday September 6 at Holy Trinity Church.
 
The new Cheddar Valley Good Afternoon Choir will launch with an open rehearsal on Tuesday September 7 at Shipham Hall with Kate Lynch and accompanist Robert Anderson.
 
Yate & Chipping Sodbury Good Afternoon Choir starts back on Wednesday September 8 at St Mary’s Church with Sian Walters and Carolyn Dutton as accompanist.
 
Devizes Good Afternoon Choir will start back again with Grenville on Friday September 10 at St Andrew’s Church and accompanist Tim Charity.
 
The new Cheltenham Good Afternoon Choir will launch with an open rehearsal on Monday September 13 at Emmanuel Church with Sandra Burne and accompanist Mark Harmer.
 
The new Cirencester & Stroud Good Afternoon Choir will launch with an open rehearsal on Tuesday October 5 at Cirencester Baptist Church with John Sandford.
 
ENDS
 
www.goodafternoonchoir.org
 

​When will we sing again?
 
As a respected choir leader and founder of the Golden-Oldies ‘Sing&Smile’ Charity, Grenville Jones has added his voice to the call for clearer Government guidance on the future of amateur singing indoors. 
 

​Yesterday in the House of Commons Bath MP Wera Hobhouse asked this question.
 
Ms Hobhouse said; 
 
“Our wonderful choirs and choral societies exist across the country. Unlike professional organisations, amateur choirs are not allowed to rehearse in groups of more than six indoors, although the Covid risk is exactly the same. Does the current Government not recognise the contribution that voluntary organisations and amateur choirs make to society at large?
 
“In the West we have the Golden-Oldies Charity that uses singing to tackle loneliness and isolation amongst older people.”
 
The Golden-Oldies Charity, fondly known as ‘Goldies’ was started by Grenville Jones in Bath 13 years ago it has grown across England and Wales to the point, prior to Lockdown, that 220 fun daytime singalong sessions attracted hundreds of older people. These take place in Church halls, Libraries and community rooms. Everyone is welcome and attendees include adults with learning difficulties and those living with Dementia. 
 
The ethos is simple, to give those who live lonely lives fun events to look forward to with the accent firmly on the social benefits of being together.
 
Grenville has been associated with choirs for the last 30 years and prior to Lockdown was running 22 choirs across the West of England, seven of which he conducted himself each week.
 
Grenville said;
 
“Together with choir leaders and those involved in amateur music across the UK we are all looking ahead to June 21st with apprehension… will the relaxation of rules come into place that will enable us again to meet together indoors to sing?
 
“For myself, this not only means that my choirs can start to sing in the afternoon and evenings but it also means that we can restart our fun singalong sessions with the 60 freelance leaders that are at the heart of our Goldies Charity.
 
“These take place from Bradford to Cornwall and from Essex across to the whole of South Wales (Goldies Cymru).
 
“We all understand the health risks but, as Ms Hobhouse pointed out we ask why there are rules for professional singers but no regard for amateurs.
 
“Many thousands enjoy singing as a hobby and the effect on the wellbeing of those people cannot be underestimated. I know myself how desperate folk are to get back to their singing group again and we look to our Government to tell us exactly what the situation is.
 
“Hopefully this will be made clear within the next few days so we can again start to plan our rehearsals across the United Kingdom.”
 
Together with many others Grenville has taken to the internet these past few months. He has been leading Zoom singing sessions with two of his choirs each week as well as leading a pre-recorded Wednesday Online choir with over 300 members from across the World. 
 
The Charity launched www.goldieslive.com soon after the first Lockdown and there are now two weekly fun online sessions, accessed via YouTube and Facebook as well as a dedicated Welsh language session, once a month.
 
ENDS
 
Picture Caption …. All together again?

PRESS RELEASE
 
Thursday 12 November 2020
 
Goldies SOFA songs hit the right note
 
Older isolated people across England and Wales are singing on their sofas every week with the Golden-Oldies Charity. 
 
“Goldies” as it is more fondly known, was forced by Covid to cancel all of its 220 FUN daytime Sing & Smile sessions back in March. Within weeks the Charity introduced online singing with its popular formula of 60s hits and sessions shared by Rachel Parry and Cheryl Davies, two of the charity’s popular session leaders in Wales. 
 
Grenville Jones, Goldies founder takes up the story:
 
“The response was immediate and in July we were able to get funding to increase to twice weekly sessions. Rachel going live every Tuesday and Cheryl leading the singalongs every Thursday.”
 
As the sessions have progressed, they have been supported, promoted and followed by many other Age-Related organisations across England and Wales. 
 
The Tuesday sessions with Rachel now take a more magazine-style approach with inserted public health information videos and ‘appearances’ from many of the session leaders who previously delivered the daytime sessions. 
 
With a designated website www.goldieslive.com the pre-recorded sessions go live on YouTube and on Facebook every week where they can, of course, be revisited at any time. There is feedback every week from across the UK. 
 
Mary Tamburella sent one of the many, many comments received in recent weeks. 
 
“Thank you, I really do love the sessions. My sister in law lives with me. She has dementia and I play them to her most nights before bed.”
 
Grenville adds;
 
“If Goldies was important to lonely older isolated people prior to Covid, then now our work is even more vital to combat isolation and well-being, reaching out to those who are vulnerable and stuck at home.” 
 
With Christmas on the horizon Rachel and Cheryl are currently working towards a very special Christmas Carol Concert which will be broadcast the Wednesday prior to Christmas Day. It will include popular carols and special performances for everyone to enjoy at home.
 
Even in Lockdown everyone can enjoy a Goldies Christmas.
 
ENDS
 
All enquiries to Grenville Jones 0777 828 2934
 
Pictured - Rachel and Cheryl “Bring Me Sunshine”
​

Wednesday, November 4, 2020
 
This time last year (November 2019) members of the City of Bath Male Choir were in Boston, a memorable singing tour to packed audiences.
 
As with all other choirs world-wide live singing for Bath’s celebrated Male Choir came to an abrupt Lockdown stop in March. The choir have been rehearsing through Zoom in recent months and are delighted to be performing again as part of an online carol service which will be broadcast on Sunday December 20.
 
Grenville Jones is Founder of Bath Male Choir, he said;
 
“It’s great for the guys to be singing again and they have been enjoying ‘attending’ their Zoom rehearsals every Tuesday. These have been taken by my youngest son Laurie and he has prepared members of Bath Male Choir for the broadcast performance for the online Christmas Show.
 
“The choir will sing a beautiful piece ‘There is Faint Music’. This, incidentally, was a piece that the choir heard first on their concert tour to Japan six years ago.”
 
Members of Bath Male Choir come from across the area. Laurie Jones (40) is head of music at a Bristol Secondary School and also conducts the Malmesbury Community Choir.
 
The online Christmas Concert is produced by Bath-based Matt Finch and will include performances by a number of choirs from across England.
 
ENDS
 
Our image shows Bath Male Choir in concert early in March 2020 at Richmond Methodist Church in Yorkshire.
 
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.