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24th August 2009

Grenville Jones - Marathon Man!

Marathon man hopes people will take note The success of the Bath Male Choir in the four years since it started has been quite remarkable. You could say that they are " in the running " to be one of the most popular choirs in the UK.
Next March over 20 of the choir members will be stepping out alongside their choir founder in the Bath Half Marathon.
In a time when the hobby of choral singing is something most younger men associate with their Grandad, here is a choir that now has over 90 men, many of which have come to choir singing as a new hobby.
Grenville Jones started the choir in January 2007. He is a man with a growing national reputation for getting people to sing,. For 11 years he rebuilt the once celebrated amateur Silver Ring Choir back up to a choir of 80 voices travelling the world. But last year he stood down from that role and started his own new Bath Chorus which attracted over 120 people to its open night this January.
He also has a 30 strong all girl jazz group called Stockingtops, leads the new Good Afternoon Choir in Bath which has over 90 singers and conducts the Norland Nannies Choir.
Bath Male Choir hit the national headlines last year when it reached the top five in the BBC Last Choir Standing series. Seen by many as the only traditional choir in the finals it is now in demand for concerts across the UK.
Grenville is also the man behind the Golden-Oldies Charity. He started it 20 months ago using pop music of the 50s, 60s and 70s in community homes. The 4 original daytime weekly sessions will be over 50 by the end of the year running sessions across the West of England for hundreds of lonely and isolated people. But it has been a tough year for Grenville and the charity.
Says Grenville: " All charities are feeling the effects of the credit crunch and as we are new, we have been hit hard . Commercial support was good in our first year but has fallen away to almost nothing. We need funding to keep the sessions going and it has to be my responsibility to take the lead. We had discussions with HSBC who talked about how they would support us in year 2. But in the end we received nothing which was a great disappointment. Tesco have continued backing us however and we did receive a grant from their Charity fund. "
At 61 Grenville, who lives at Peasedown near Bath, knows he is overweight and not quite at his prime, but on Saturday August 22nd he announced to the 1000 people at a concert in Bath supporting Goldies that he was going to enter the Bath Half Marathon next March with a team from his Bath Male Choir .
" I asked the boys if they would support me and over 20 have already said yes. We have some serious runners in the Choir but also a few of the guys around my age have said that If I am prepared to do it they will join me. They are brilliant, my target is to lose 2 stone and get around the whole course, probably at a snail's pace, but I will get round.
" It is going to be hard work but I have to do it, I owe it to the people who love their Goldies sessions each week and I am determined to raise as much as I can. My sons, my friends and my lady all say I am barking, but I hope that people will support me and training has now started."
The Bath Male Choir team will raise money for 2 Charities, Golden-Oldies and Prostate Cancer Research. The Choir has a link with this national charity and will be the guests at a prestigious Christmas concert in London's St Johns Smith Square this December.
"I am sure we will get lots of support on the day and will probably sing at the start line. I doubt we will have any puff left after 13 miles though ! " he adds.

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15th July 2009

Pupils Share the Stage with Goldies

An event which brought young and old together through music has inspired a festival in Bath.

In April, pupils at St Gregory's Catholic College spent a morning with members of Golden-Oldies, a charity set up to encourage older people to sing.
The group, who have become known as the Goldies, sang a selection of songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s to Year 7 and 8 pupils.
It was organised by the school's head of performing arts, Andrew Jackson, and conductor and charity founder, Grenville Jones.
Mr Jones said it had been so successful it had led him to plan a week-long event which would bring young and old people together next year.
He said: "We can bring generations together and they can sing together and understand each other. It is wonderful for these Goldies and they will be talking about this for weeks."
Mr Jones said he hoped the week, a date for which has yet to be fixed, would see a variety of activities taking place.
He said: "I want to hold a rock band competition and perhaps an event with the pupils and the Goldies where they will talk about what life was like when they were their age."
On Monday, the Goldies, who meet in community rooms across Bath, were invited back to St Gregory's for a second session, which coincided with the school's annual arts week. They performed hits from artists including Abba and Elvis.
Mr Jackson said: "It is terrific to see the generations working together and breaking down the barriers."

Brian Northam, 85, who attends the Goldies session at Blagdon Park with his wife Marjorie, said: "We love every minute of it. It is great to see the children's faces. We want to thank Grenville for it all – he keeps us going."

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1st April 2009

North Somerset Goldies Expanding

If you love to sing and want to make a difference to the lives of elderly people in and around Clevedon, please read on!
Golden-Oldies launched in Bath & North East Somerset in January this year, attracting huge media attention from across the World. A new session will start in Clevedon on Tuesday mornings at Clifton Court, Churchill Avenue, Clevedon, BS21 6QS from 10.30-11.30am from Tuesday 21st April.
The Charity was even featured on the BBC National 6 o’clock News last January and TV crews from Canada and Germany have visited Bath to report on the Goldies success story.
The founder, Grenville Jones, is well-respected in the West of England through his leadership of a number of choirs and music groups. He is the man with a reputation for getting people to sing! His Bath Male Choir hit the headlines on the BBC1 Last Choir Standing programme last year.
Golden-Oldies is the Charity and it is the “Goldies” who enjoy the free one hour, fun sing-a-long sessions to the music of the 50s, 60s and 70s. In a short space of time, Bath now has over 12 sessions a week plus a hugely popular monthly session.
Grenville says: “We are certainly not looking for Choir conductors! The main requirement is a strong singing voice and an enthusiasm to really get involved and take the work of our new charity forward in Clevedon. The session takers do not have to play an instrument as we always use backing tracks.
“If you are interested, please call us on 01761 470006.”

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18th March 2009

City of Bath Mayor's Citizen of the Year Awards

The work of Golden-Oldies founder, Grenville Jones has been recognised in the 2009 City of Bath Mayor’s Citizen of the Year Awards.
The awards recognise individuals working in the community across the City and local people are invited to nominate the people they think should be acknowledged.
Grenville’s nominees were Cyril Watson and Margaret Fielding who are both regular Goldies at the Monday morning Blagdon Park singing session. This was the first session started by Grenville in January last year. It now has over 30 people who sing and smile to the hits of the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Both Cyril and Margaret attended the Mayor’s Parlour in the Guildhall yesterday (Tuesday 17th March) when Cyril read out his nomination. He said: “Grenville and the Goldies have given so many elderly people something very special. “There are so many of us who stay at home with little to look forward to. The Goldies has got us out of our homes and we all love the sessions so much.”
From the first Blagdon Park session in Bath there are now over 40 sessions across the West of England attracting between 50 and 60 people.
The Golden-Oldies Charity works with a number of organisations including Somer Housing, Merlin Housing, Mendip Housing, Mendip District Council, North Somerset Housing, South Somerset Homes and South Somerset District Council as well as Swindon Borough Council and South Gloucestershire Council.
Goldies as it has become known has received international media coverage. It was featured on the BBC National News and TV crews from Canada and Germany have visited Bath to film Cyril, Margaret and friends raising the roof to Hi Ho Silver Lining.
Grenville’s work with the Golden-Oldies was also recognised in January by the Bath Chronicle when they named him Bath Man of 2008. This was not only for his work with the Charity but also for the success of his City of Bath Male Choir on the BBC’s popular Last Choir Standing series.
Aled Jones invited Grenville as guest on his Radio 3 programme, The Choir in September where he was keen to hear about the Golden-Oldies and Grenville’s growing reputation as being the man who gets people of all ages to sing.

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11th February 2009

Concert in aid of Golden-Oldies

THE City of Bath Male Choir, who hit the headlines last August when they reached the last five in the BBC's Last Choir Standing series, will be in concert in Portishead on Saturday March 21st at the United Reform Church, starting at 7.30pm.
The Choir of over 70 singers will be supporting the work of the Golden-Oldies Charity. Weekly free 'Goldies' sessions take place every Friday morning from 10.30am – 11.30am in the Church Hall at the Methodist Church Hall in Portishead and the concert is expected to be a sell-out.
When Bath music man Grenville Jones decided to start a new male choir in January 2006, he never dreamt that in a few short months The City of Bath Male Choir would have a huge national following.
Grenville has the reputation for getting people to sing and it was through the BBC Saturday evening Last Choir Standing series last summer that his "Boys from Bath" hit the headlines when they reached the last five in the competition that attracted hundreds of entries from choirs across the UK.
Bath Male Choir now has over 90 members and is in demand for concerts across the UK. Dubbed the "wall of sound," a name given to the Choir by Last Choir Standing judge Russell Watson.
Grenville and the Bath Male Choir pride themselves on singing a fresh repertoire of many modern numbers and the age of Choir members varies from 16 to 65.
Their TV appearances, watched by millions of viewers have bought concert requests from all over the UK. The Choir featured in a Cadbury Wispa ad and a new CD is planned later this year.
Grenville Jones also leads the Charity called Golden-Oldies which has also attracted media attention from around the World. "Goldies " as it has become known run fun, free singing sessions for elderly and isolated people across the West of England. The music is the hit songs of the 60's and 70's with Goldies set to become a nationally-known charity in the years to come.
The Friday morning session in Portishead is supported by North Somerset Housing and attracts over 40 people each week.
Last September Grenville was the special guest of Aled Jones on his Sunday evening Radio 3 programme The Choir. Aled quizzed Grenville on his growing national reputation as a choir leader, the success of the Bath Male Choir and his work with elderly people through Golden-Oldies.
Tickets for the Portishead concert are priced £10 and are available from Rosie on 01761 472468.

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3rd February 2009

Bath Sing for Life

ONE thing is for sure: Bath will be the all-singing and all-dancing place to be over the Spring Bank Holiday this year from May 1 – May 4.
For the last two years, Bath music man Grenville Jones has organised his Bath Showcase charity concert at the Bath Forum on the first Saturday in May. These have raised over £30,000 for local community groups, working with the Chairman of Bath & North East Somerset Council who has chosen the groups who receive the support.
This year, in his inimitable style, Grenville is going a few steps further, turning the Showcase idea into a weekend of music called Bath Sing for Life. Grenville started talking to local businesses last summer, looking for sponsorship support.
He has raised over £20,000 to date. The main Bath Sing for Life sponsor is Wessex Water, with a long list of other backers.
Grenville explains: “Bath was buzzing on that Spring Bank Holiday last year, but apart from my showcase concert there was very little else happening. This year things will be different. Not only will there be the Bath Sing for Life concerts, but James Whitehead is also running his Bath Dance Festival that weekend, and of course there is the annual Bath Spring Flower Show at Royal Victoria Park.
“If you live in Bath, get your guest room ready and ask your friends from around the UK. Let’s make our city a lively and happy place to be between May 1st and 4th.”
Bath Sing for Life will be raising money for Dorothy House Hospice Care, Forever Friends and Golden Oldies. Grenville’s target is £30,000.
On Friday May 1st, there will be 4 concerts all starting at 7.45pm featuring local singers. St. Mary Bathwick will welcome the Bath Minerva Choir and the Paragon Singers. This concert is sponsored by Thring Townsend Lee & Pembertons and Zenith International.v The Bath Cantata Group and the Jane Lilley Singers will be in concert at St. Stephen’s Lansdown. Rotork Controls and Buro Happold are the sponsors.
St. Luke’s Wellsway will welcome the Bath Community Gospel Choir and the RUH Community Choir, sponsored by The Podium and Bath Chamber of Commerce.
St. John’s Catholic Church in South Parade will host a concert by the ‘Last Choir Standing’ top five, The City of Bath Male Choir with Grenville Jones’ new choir, THE Bath Chorus. The sponsors here are Mowbray Woodward Solicitors and Richardson Grove Accountants.v “I would like to especially thank all the choirs, who are taking part without charge. Friday concert tickets will all be priced £12.50 and I hope that the people of Bath will turn out to pack all of the four churches, so we can really get the weekend off to a fantastic start,” adds Grenville.
As well as the Dance Festival events taking place on the streets of Bath through the weekend, Saturday will see talented young musicians from Bath Spa University playing at city centre venues such as The Podium, Milsom Place, Jolly’s, M&S and BHS.
The Rodolfus Choir are without question one of the premier youth choirs in Europe. Aged between 18 and 25, they are all aspiring professional musicians who have been selected from the annual Eton Choral courses. They regularly record on Radio 3, were the choir chosen by Katherine Jenkins to sing on her CDs, and are led by Ralph Allwood from Eton College. They will be in concert at Bath Abbey on Saturday evening May 2nd, a concert featuring popular choral music from across the ages that is bound to sell out very quickly.
One of Europe’s leading organists, David Goode will also play at the Bath Abbey concert.
Also on the Saturday, the Bath Forum will host a singing workshop for young people aged between 9 and 17 called Worldsong. Sponsored by Bath Building Society, the workshop will be taken by one of the leading youth choir conductors in the world, Mike Brewer OBE.
This workshop is being supported by the music advisor team at Bath and North East Somerset Council. On Saturday evening at 7.30 p.m, the workshop will form the basis for a concert, which will also feature the Curtain-Up theatre group, the Bath Youth Gospel Choir and Cantilena.
Top jazz vocalist Clare Teal will headline at the Bath Pavilion on Sunday evening May 3rd, the final Bath Sing for Life event for the weekend, sponsored by Tesco. Appearances on shows like Parkinson have put Clare right at the top of the jazz tree. Supporting Clare at the Pavilion will be the fabulous Stockingtops all-girl swing group, another evening not to be missed.
Other local sponsors backing Bath Sing for Life are Ralph Allen Press, World Market Travel, First Office, Money Wise, Cross Manufacturing, Touchstone, Aqua Sulis Guesthouse, The Royal Hotel and Tolley Cottage. Media supporters are the Bath Chronicle and GWR West.
With the support of the Council, promotional literature will be sent all around the UK targeting visitors to the city. Group travel and accommodation are in the capable hands of Bath-based European Connoisseurs Travel.
All concert tickets are available from the Bath Festivals Box Office, tel. 01225 463362 or call Rosie at Grenville’s office on 01761 472468.

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5th January 2009

Bath Sing for Life

Winner itself of the South West Newspaper of the Year title in November, the Bath Chronicle announced its ' People of the Year ' awards in the New Year’s Day edition. Top award for Man of the Year went to Grenville Jones, founder of the Golden-Oldies Charity and Choir Leader. It has certainly been quite a year for Grenville as his Bath Male Choir gained national recognition by reaching the top five in the popular Saturday night BBC Last Choir Standing series in the summer, which gained him the reputation of being the man that gets people singing!
Editor of the Bath Chronicle, Sam Holliday wrote; "Grenville Jones, our first Man of the Year, has become a powerful and important ‘voice’ in our community. His work with all his choirs (past, present and indeed future) is enough to make him a worthy winner, but his success at leading the City of Bath Male Choir to TV success and his fantastic achievements with the Golden-Oldies put him in a league of his own in 2008.
"The Golden-Oldies was a brilliant idea waiting to happen, but it took a man of rare vision, charm, enthusiasm and perseverance to do it. Grenville fitted that ‘job spec’ perfectly."
Goldies, as it has become known, started with a pilot scheme in Bath in January 2008.The ethos of the charity is simple: It is to give isolated people something to look forward to - the weekly singing time with friends, a trip to the seaside, a concert.
The Charity runs free fun weekly sing-along sessions for elderly folk using the hits of the 50s 60s and 70s . Working with Bath housing provider Somer Housing, there were initially five sessions each week but this number has now increased to over 40 across the West of England.
Here is what two Bath 'Goldies' have to say about the way the charity has touched their lives in the past 12 months. Brenda Skinner aged 74 – “I lost both my daughters and suffered severe depression. Since I have attended Goldies, I have a new lease of life, new friends and the music brings back fantastic memories of my daughters. It’s all thanks to the singing at Goldies and Grenville.”
Jo Peters, aged 72 - “If I didn't come to Goldies, I wouldn’t go anywhere. It’s just such good fun.” Swindon welcomes Goldies this week with 6 sessions across the town. Bath now has 12 weekly sessions and a monthly BIG SING, then there are sessions across South Gloucestershire, in Portishead, Weston super Mare, Gloucester and Withywood in Bristol as well as in Shepton Mallet, Frome, Yeovil, Somerton and Crewkerne in Somerset.
2008 saw commercial support for the Bath pilot from Tesco, BUPA Care Homes and HSBC as well as funding from Trusts such as The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation , Concertina and the Medlock Trust in Bath. Many Local Authorities and Housing Associations across the West are joining as Goldie supporters, helping to fund the sessions in those areas. Initially all the sessions were taken by Grenville, but as the charity expands an ever increasing team of talented musicians are taking the sessions, allowing him the time to take Goldies to new areas.
Funding in 2009 is an issue as the economic downturn hits charitable giving. Grenville explains; " The Trustees are brilliant and are really committed. They are currently in discussions with a number of community-minded businesses. We hope that there will be good news soon which will enable us to make positive plans for the next five years.
" We are set on increasing the number of sessions in the West to 100 by the close of 2009. I am in talks with Bristol City Council as well as a number of other Local Authorities. By this time next year I hope to be able to announce that Goldies will be launching across the Midlands as our next region. We could be running hundreds of sessions by the end of 2012.
" When we started I said that my vision for Goldies was a BIG SING in the Royal Albert Hall in 2012 with thousands of people converging on the capital. What a fantastic day that will be!"

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16th December 2008

What does it mean to be a Goldie?

Here's what some of our Goldies had to say:
Brenda Skinner aged 74 – “I lost both my daughters and suffered severe depression. Since I have attended Goldies, I have a new lease of life, new friends and the music brings back fantastic memories of my daughters. It’s all thanks to the singing at Goldies and Grenville.”
Jo Peters, aged 72 - “If I didn’t come to Goldies, I wouldn’t go anywhere. It’s just such good fun.”
Winnie Young, aged 85 - “Goldies makes me feel young again. It’s a pleasure to come to Goldies and meet new people.
Margaret Noad aged 85 - “After joining Goldies, I have met so many new people. It’s lovely to go and sing and it’s the only time I get out.”
Peggy Ford aged 85 – “I have got to know so many people and the singing does me the world of good. I love it.”
Edwina Merrick aged 63 – “After loosing my husband 3 years ago, it took Goldies to get me out of my depression. It makes so much difference to me. I get to meet people, chat, laugh and sing and it’s so enjoyable.”
Betty Barrett aged 78 - “I love coming to Goldies very much and I would be stuck at home if I didn’t come. You can’t keep me away.”
Daphne Smith aged 73 – “I wouldn’t miss Goldies for the world. It makes me feel so happy.”
Margaret Fielding aged 72 – “Goldies is a lovely morning out. I’ve met so many new people and the BIG SING at the Pavilion every month is wonderful.”
Cyril Watson aged 74 – “I love the singing, I love the crowd, I love getting to know people and have a good ol’ laugh.”

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24th November 2008

Goldies open the new Tesco Store on Bathwick Hill

Goldies from Bath were special guests as Tesco celebrated the opening of their new Tesco Express in Bathwick Hill on Monday November 24th. Our picture shows the folk who attend the Blagdon Park Goldies session in full voice outside the new store. Mo Charles who has been attending the free, fun Goldies sessions since they started in January of this year said: "Before I went to the sessions I wasn't going out anywhere and was stuck at home... ...but starting Goldies is the best thing I have ever done and Tesco have supported us all the way."

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12th November 2008

Goldies has started in South Somerset

Goldies has now started in South Somerset with support from South Somerset Homes and South Somerset Council. Within 10 minutes of the first Goldies session in the community room at Pearson House, Roping Road, Yeovil, dance fever took over! Golden-Oldies launched in Bath & North East Somerset in January 2008 with five fun free weekly singing sessions. By January 2009 that number will have increased to almost 40 from Swindon to Weston-super-Mare and Gloucester to Yeovil.

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11th September 2008

Will Dawn be a Goldies Champion?

Minister of State for Public Health and the Department of Health, Dawn Primarolo will be discovering for herself why so many people are talking about the Golden-Oldies Charitable Trust next Thursday September 18th.
Bristol South MP, Ms Dawn Primarolo will be calling at the Withywood Community centre on Thursday morning to meet over 100 Withywood ‘Goldies’ who attend the free, weekly fun singing sessions.
The Golden-Oldies Charitable Trust was launched 8 short months ago as a pilot project in Bath & North East Somerset. Golden-Oldies is the name of the Charity and the ‘Goldies’ are the elderly folk who attend the daytime sessions, singing along to the popular hits of the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Golden-Oldies has attracted huge media attention. It was featured on the BBC 6 O’Clock news in January and has been the subject of TV documentaries in both Germany and Canada.
Interest in Goldies has come from across the UK as well as further afield with emails from Australia, Japan, America, South Africa, Holland and Malaysia.
Four weekly sessions in January were the starting point and 8 months on, there are now 12 weekly sessions in Bath & North East Somerset plus a number of regular monthly sessions as well as regular sessions in Gloucester and Bristol, at Withywood.
In the next three weeks Goldies will launch in Swindon, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and South Somerset with the support of local authorities and housing providers.
Somer Housing Association are the leading Housing Association in Bath & North East Somerset and were the first organization to back Golden-Oldies. The sessions in Bath & North East Somerset take place in their sheltered housing community rooms. Average numbers attending weekly sessions is around the 50 mark.
The founder of Golden-Oldies is Grenville Jones, well known in the West of England as leader of a number of Choirs. He is the man with a reputation for getting people to sing!
Through his leadership of the City of Bath Male Choir who reached the last five in the recent BBC television series, Last Choir Standing and watched by a 5 million plus audience, Grenville has become a familiar face to Choir enthusiasts across the UK.
The Golden-Oldies was featured in one of the Last Choir Standing programmes showing Grenville taking a session in the centre of Bath with over 250 people, singing, smiling and dancing.
The ethos of Golden-Oldies is simple, to give elderly and isolated people something to look forward to. This may be the weekly singing session where those attending are encouraged to stand, stretch and dance or Grenville Jones’ vision is a BIG SING in London in four years time with Goldies descending on the capital from around the UK to enjoy a very special day out.
Funding support has come from a wide area with commercial sponsorship from Tesco, HSBC and Bupa Care Homes. A number of local authorities and housing providers as well as businesses and Charitable Trusts have added their support to Golden-Oldies.
The Trustees are chaired by Cllr. Marian McNeir, a former Mayor of Bath and include retired businessman John Cullum, father of jazz star, Jamie Cullum.
Bob Tyrrell is Development Trustee, he said: “We are at the stage now of planning our development over the next three years and, like other Charities need the financial support which will give us a sustainable base from which we can build and extend our sessions across a much wider area.
“By the end of 2009, we intend having the West of England covered with weekly Goldie sessions and available transport to ensure people can attend. Bristol is a major development area for us and we need support and funding to enable us to reach out across the City with our Goldies mission.
“As Minister of Health, Dawn Primarolo could be our Goldies Champion. We have already received confirmation from GP Practices telling us that Goldies is making a profound change on people’s lives. When I attend the sessions myself and see first hand those smiling faces, feet tapping and elderly people simply laughing at the enjoyment a session gives, I am amazed at the affect Grenville and our session takers are having on people’s lives.
“Goldies is very special and I am sure that Ms. Primarolo will be moved by the Withywood Goldies experience.”

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