Buxton Opera House & Pavilion Arts Centre are appealing to the public to consider joining their group of amazing supporters and donate this ‘Giving Tuesday’. Through the public’s generous donations, Buxton Opera House aims to bring people together and reduce loneliness in High Peak communities.
One of the brilliant projects the organisation is currently ‘Singing Together’ project, which does exactly what it says: bringing people together through singing and sharing moments of joy, making an incredible impact and helping to bring joy and friendship to those suffering with social isolation, employment difficulties, and people with severe health conditions, all through arts and creativity.
Giving Tuesday first began in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the last decade, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
Buxton Opera House joins other notable arts charities for the 2024 appeal on Giving Tuesday, including Birmingham Opera Company, Northern Opera Group, The Lowry and Arts Derbyshire.
The organisation has been working in care homes and across the community over the last three years, with its most poignant work facilitating free to participate, intergenerational activities such as bringing children and older people together to sing, enabling older people, including those with long-term health issues such as dementia, to all connect as one through music.
Buxton Opera House & Pavilion Arts Centre is also proud to offer vital creative outlets such as the ABC (Affected by Cancer) singing group, which takes place on a monthly basis and has become a important support group for those undergoing treatment for cancer, as well as for those who are and have been carers for cancer patients.
Allie Spencer, Head of Creative Learning & Engagement at Buxton Opera House & Pavilion Arts Centre, showed her passionate enthusiasm for the projects that the generous donations are able to make possible. These include the ABC singing group, which underpins the organisation’s work across inter-generations.
“The ABC Choir is the highlight of my week. We laugh, we sing, we laugh some more. We drink tea, eat cake and sing again. We leave the group feeling stronger and happier knowing that we have a supportive group looking out for us. It’s a fabulous start to the weekend.”
“With our ‘Singing Together’ project, I have been honoured to experience the joy of watching older people, including older people with dementia, connect to music.”
“These projects really do make a difference to our communities, and your donation small or large will help this happen.”
This Giving Tuesday, with the help of the public, Buxton Opera House aims to expand these projects, offering more older people the chance to be creative and enjoy the benefits of both singing and being with each other. The generosity of the public will create more opportunities for older and younger people to connect together and to offer more sessions for people affected by cancer:
- £10 would pay for song sheets to be printed for three singing sessions.
- £25 would pay for room hire for an ABC choir session.
- £100 would pay for a choir leader to lead a singing session.
- £250 would pay for a specialist practitioner to work for a day with older people using music to spark memory.
- £500 would pay for five sessions with schoolchildren exploring popular music from the past.
- £1000 would help pay for a small group of classical musicians to accompany the intergenerational singing.
To make a donation, go to: buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/news/giving-tuesday-2024
