Workers and shoppers in central Bristol are being invited to leave their worries behind next Wednesday lunchtime (24 July) at a one-hour ‘Singing for wellbeing’ workshop at the New Room, also known as John Wesley’s Chapel in Bristol’s Broadmead.
The workshop will be led by Judit Soler and Meg Brand, registered music therapists and leaders of the New Room’s weekly community choir.
Kate Rogers, community engagement officer for the New Room, said: “People naturally sing as a sign of happiness, so it’s not surprising that taking part in group singing can generate a noticeable improvement in your wellbeing.
“Judit and Meg will explain techniques for improving posture and breath control, and participants will explore how singing can support the ‘five ways to wellbeing’ – being active, learning, taking notice, connecting and giving.
“It doesn’t matter if you’ve never sung before – we’re encouraging anyone who feels they might benefit to come, give it a go and see how it feels.
“Because singing is a mindful activity that engages our whole bodies and demands our full concentration it takes our minds away from worries and stress. It’s also fun, uplifting and a great way to meet new people.
“Everyone is welcome, whether they have any experience or not, and we hope to see some new faces as well as some familiar ones.”
The workshop will feature a mixture of activities: a warm-up, singing well-known songs, learning songs from around the world and body percussion.
The New Room’s regular lunch-time community choir – which has a loyal following and has been running for over a year – is having a summer break and will re-start on 11 September when new members will be welcome to sample what one regular describes as ‘an oasis of well-being in the middle of the week.’
Tickets for the workshop, priced £7, are available from the New Room gift shop, or online through Eventbrite. The Singing For Wellbeing Workshop runs from 1-2pm on Wednesday 24 July in the New Room, John Wesley’s Chapel, 36 The Horsefair, BS1 3JE. Further details on https://www.newroombristol.org.uk/?event=singing-wellbeing-workshop&event_date=2019-07-24