Location
Worthing, West Sussex
Worthing, West Sussex
Earthy, celebratory, seasonal, life honouring, beautiful, uplifting, rousing, tender songs to share!
Singing is a wonderful thing indeed. How it moves us, lifts us, nourishes us and changes us.
It is one of the oldest things we have shared together, older perhaps than language, and it has always been with us, woven into the very fabric of what it means to be human.
The more I share singing with others, the more I witness its gift, calling out of us our own voice, our essence, offering a place to breathe and sound out who we are.
In this time life can be filled with so much that demands of us, that it can be hard to find time to just stand in our own space and BE.
Singing together makes a place for this. A place where we can unfurl and rest in the softer parts of ourselves and share them through song; listening to eachother, harmonising with eachother in ways that mirror and celebrate the way we all long to live and participate in something greater than we could manage on our own.
Singing together makes this longing for connection, collaboration, harmony, beauty, togetherness, trust, openness and expression a real and immediate thing. The communities that arise out of singing together are beautiful ones to be a part of.
My own journey into the rich landscape of singing is ever deepening and enriching me – how music changes us, how the vibration of sound enters our cells, how our bodies respond, these are all things to marvel at.
Singing is, I believe, a natural, essential and healing thing. We should all do it more!
The groups I facilitate all share the primary purpose of revelling in the joy of singing together! The types of songs vary.
Gathering Light Choir has been running for about 3 years. The songs are all learned by ear (words available if you need them of course!) and they all have rousing harmonies and parts. We sing songs that give voice to the rich beauty of life, nature and the heart. We celebrate the seasons together in all sorts of lovely ways and have created a space in the middle of us all where love, loss and things that are sacred to us can be brought and honoured.
The South Downs Folk Singers have been together for about 12 years. We learn and sing lovely old folk songs as well as new folk songs, and some delightful ones written by us. We hold to the widely shared understanding that ‘a true folk song is one that is never sung the same way twice’! Our monthly gatherings are lively and friendly with plenty of singing through a wide variety of subjects and seasons. We perform occasionally at small festivals or historic places.
The Secret Shore Singers are a rousing bunch of Shanty singers who have been singing together for about 6 years. The fortnightly gatherings are great fun and a chance to give full welly to your voice!
Gathering Light Choir is a lovely, friendly group open to all.
The songs we sing are learned by ear and have rousing harmonies and parts. The sharing of lush harmony, rhythm, delight and good company is the aim of the gatherings! We choose songs that express the rich beauty of life, nature and the heart, songs that reflect the seasons, songs that express something of our shared humanity, our inner life and the shared Spirit, and that sound glorious to sing.
We gather in several places:
St Andrews church hall, Victoria Road, Worthing, BN11 1XB
Just 5 mins walk from Worthing station with plenty of parking in surrounding roads the evening.
It has beautiful acoustics and a little kitchen for making teas and its own loos and is lovely!
We meet every Tuesday evening, 7.30pm – 9.30pm, £5 per person. Includes copious tea and coffee and biscuits!
These are drop in sessions so you are welcome to come any evening that suits you and pay when you arrive.
Shoreham Methodist Hall, Brunswick Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 5WB
2 mins walk south of the station. Plenty of parking in the surrounding roads in the evening.
This is a lovely hall, warm and welcoming with a kitchen and loos.
We meet every Wednesday evening, 7.30 - 9.30pm, £6 per person. Includes as much tea, coffee and biscuits as you need!
These are drop in sessions so you are welcome to come any evening that suits you and pay when you arrive.
Sullington Tithe Barn, Sullington Lane, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 4AE
Nestled in the hills of the South Downs, we gather in a beautiful and huge Tithe Barn to sing.
There are loos and a lovely cafe that is often open.
Check here for cafe opening times: https://www.sullingtonmanorfarm.co.uk/the-cafe-at-the-old-workshop
You are welcome to bring your own tea and coffee and snacks.
We are meeting only twice more there this year, the 3rd and 4th Sundays in November, 11 - 1pm. We will have more dates coming for the new year, two Sundays each month, dates to follow.
£6 per person.
These are drop in sessions so feel free to come when you would like to.
In the Summer the barn us busy with weddings and so we move to:
THE OLD SCHOOL, School Lane, Storrington,
West Sussex, RH20 4LL
We will be there11 - 1 on Sundays. Dates will be given in the Spring next year.
These are still drop in sessions so newcomers are welcome along any time.
The Secret Shore Singers are a rousing bunch who get together to learn and sing shanties from all parts of the world. They have been singing together for about 6 years. They were formed after a 2 year HLF project that explored the folklore, history and songs of the south coast by those who didn’t want to stop singing!
Shanties are rousing and heartfelt and a delight to sing. The fortnightly gatherings are great fun and a chance to give full welly to your voice!
Although I still run shanty sessions from time to time, this regular group is now being facilitated by Jonny Mott, a wonderful and inspiring chap. All details can be found by emailing Jonny – jonnymottmusic@gmail.com
The sessions are in two locations - Worthing and Littlehampton. For full details please contact Jonny.
The South Downs Folk Singers is a large, long standing and lively group of singers who meet monthly in Worthing, Lewes and Chichester.
We learn and sing folk songs mostly from this part of the world, celebrating the beauty and history of Sussex, and also folk songs that have travelled from other parts of the UK because they are so lovely.
Occasionally we perform the songs for the pleasure of sharing them; you may hear us in the woods or at the Weald and Downland Museum or at small festivals and celebrations throughout the year.
All the details of meetings and performances, all the songs and words and lots more fascinating stuff can be found on the website:
The “South Downs Folk Singers” is not a formal choir but a joyful group who sing traditional South Downs songs unaccompanied, as they may very well have been sung in homes, places of work and recreation in the past. It began life following a Heritage Lottery Funded project in partnership with the South Downs Society, about the heritage and songs of the South Downs. This finished in 2013 and the SDFS was formed to continue singing together. Since then we have added songs, harmonies and singers.
We have three local groups, each meeting monthly to sing in Chichester, Lewes and Worthing at the following venues – (N.B. – please check our Diary Page for any temporary changes to these usual plans.)
WORTHING: First Thursday evening of every month – The Barn, English Martyrs Church, Goring Way, Goring-by-Sea, BN12 4UE
CHICHESTER: Third Thursday evening of every month, – The Chichester Inn, 38 West Street, Chichester, PO19 1RP. This session is facilitated by musician and songwriter Alan Wheeler.
LEWES: Third Monday evening of every month, 7.30 till 10pm – The Lewes Arms, 1 Mount Place, Lewes, BN7 1Y. This session is facilitated by the lovely and musically accomplished Tina Cox.
WORTHING: First Thursday evening of every month, 7.15 for 7.30 - 9.30pm.
CHICHESTER: Third Thursday evening of every month, 7.30 for 8-10pm.
LEWES: Third Tuesday evening of every month, 6.30 - 9pm.
