​PRESS RELEASE
 
Monday November 14, 2016
 
A charity that brings songs and smiles to older isolated people will launch in Exeter in December.
 
The Golden-Oldies Charity, fondly just referred to as ‘Goldies’ and with Sir Cliff Richard as its Patron, started in the Bath and Bristol area 10 years ago.
 
Founder Grenville Jones, a well respected West Country choir leader, had seen for himself how singing brought joy to so many people through his many choirs.
 
Always quick to emphasise that his charity Goldies is not a choir, Grenville took the first four daytime singing and activity sessions for isolated lonely people himself. Ten years on the charity now runs over 150 sessions across England and Wales. For thousands attending Goldies is a highlight for them and the only time that they enjoy the company of others. 
 
Goldies was approached by Exeter City Council early this year. Cllr Keith Owen, Lead Councillor for Housing Revenue Account, said:
 
“Loneliness and social isolation is an issue that needs addressing, so this initiative is great news. It is so important that lonely older people have the opportunity to get out and be with others and the work that Goldies is doing will make a real difference to people’s lives.”
 
An introduction session led by Grenville Jones will take place at the Guildhall, Exeter, from 10.30am until 12 noon on Monday December 5. It will be attended by the Lord Mayor of Exeter, Cllr Cynthia Thompson and the Council will be inviting a number of residents from some of the Council’s Older Persons’ Housing Schemes.
 
Said Grenville;
 
“It will be great to bring our songs and smiles to Exeter and I look forward to meeting everyone on December 5 for the very first singing and activity session in the City.”
 
ENDS
 
Picture shows : The sing and smile charity that is brightening the lives of older people across England and Wales.
 
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934 or Stephen Upsher on 01393 265103.

​Bristol-based support worker, Paul Bryant, was so impressed with the work of the Golden-Oldies Charity with older vulnerable people that he has written them a special song to celebrate their 10th birthday.
 
The catchy new sing-along Goldies ‘anthem’ will be launched on Wednesday November 30 at the Houses of Parliament. It coincides with a three year academic study which has underlined the wellbeing value that the Goldies Charity brings to hundreds of older isolated people.
 
Paul (51) lives in Patchway, Bristol. He is a social care worker and for the last five years has been taking adults with severe disabilities to the daytime sing and smile sessions organised by ‘Goldies’, as it is now fondly known.
 
Back in the 90s Paul was a member of a duo called Secret Life. One of his songs, ‘So Strong’ hit the top 40 charts back then. 
 
The Golden-Oldies Charity was started by Bath music man Grenville Jones in November 2006. A respected choir leader across the West Country, Grenville had seen for himself the friendships and joy that came from belonging to a music group. The first four daytime Goldies sessions were taken by Grenville and now, 10 years later in 2016, there are over 150 across England and Wales, with the sessions led by 40 dedicated freelance leaders. 
 
They take place across South West England and South Wales, in Essex, the Midlands and Yorkshire. Grenville is always anxious to point out that Goldies is certainly not a choir but music and singing is at the heart of all it does. His hopes are for Goldies to reach out to older people across the UK in the years ahead, as Goldies UK.
 
The idea of a Goldies song came to Paul as he was driving to London from Bristol four years ago.
 
“I had been thinking for a long time that it would be great to try and come up with a new song that could be sung at all the Goldies sessions and perhaps become a regular Goldies sing-along tune. The words for the chorus started to buzz in my head and all of a sudden the melody and the rhythm came to me!
 
“Goldies is a wonderful charity, one of the ladies that I care for has been attending the sessions for a number of years and I have noticed a transformation in her personality and her confidence through attending Goldies. It really is the Sing and Smile charity,” says Paul.
 
Goldies Patron is Sir Cliff Richard. He said;
 
“I hope everyone enjoys our new Goldies Song. Paul Bryant has seen for himself the joy and the positive difference that a Goldies session can bring to the lives of vulnerable older people’s lives, who regularly attend across England and Wales. In 10 years ‘Goldies’ has really made quite remarkable progress.”
 
The easy to sing new Goldies song will be launched at the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday November 30. The visit will be hosted by a number of MPs who support the work of the charity in their various constituencies and led by Ben Howlett Member of Parliament for Bath. Forty older folk who attend Goldies sessions across England and Wales will travel to London where they will be welcomed by their local MPs, enjoy lunch and then perform the Goldies song with Paul Bryant in the Jubilee Room on TV.
 
The older folk travelling to London will come from Barry and Rhydepennau in South Wales, Uttoxeter and Burton Upon Trent in Staffordshire, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, Keynsham and Bath.
 
Goldies founder Grenville Jones said;
 
“When Paul first played the song to me I knew it was a winner. It is easy to sing with a catchy chorus and we hope that all Goldies sessions in the future will start with it. Our charity works with the University of Bath and their Department for Health and specifically with Dr Afroditi Stathi, a Trustee of our charity.
 
“A number of the popular songs that are sung at Goldies sessions have specifically designed movements and working with Dr Stathi’s team the new Goldies song will also have its own moves!”
 
The Goldies song is now on YouTube and on iTunes – https://youtu.be/SVCHDKbbqRc
 
Paul Marshall from the University of Bristol undertook the research study. He says;
 
“The study worked with the Goldies Cymru programme that reaches diverse urban and rural communities in South Wales, this evaluation enabled participants to have their voice and influence their daytime sessions and how the charity is run. Regular attendance directly reduces social isolation of older people in South Wales.
 
“The evidence from this evaluation clearly suggests that Goldies Cymru is making a significant contribution to reducing the incidence and providence of social isolation and loneliness amongst the older people population.”
 
ENDS
 
Press enquiries, please contact
Paul Bryant on 07855 922651
Grenville Jones on 07778 282934 
 
 
Golden-Oldies Charity notes….
 
 
Golden-Oldies (Goldies), is a social initiative, bringing positive change to marginalised vulnerable people in England and Wales through structured daytime social singing and activity
sessions that encourage participation and functional exercises. The registered Charity was founded by Grenville in September 2007 with just four singing sessions for older people in sheltered housing schemes in Bath taken by himself.
 
Singing the popular hits of the 50s onwards people are encouraged to dance, sing and relax with a cup of tea and a chat with their session leader and other participants.
There are now 150 session across England and Wales (Goldies Cymru), taken by over 40 dedicated leaders. Sir Cliff Richard is Patron.
 
Goldies is NOT a choir and the sessions are based on memory-evoking songs of the 50s and onwards. They are attended by older people and adults with learning difficulties and disabilities such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Through its diverse communities programme Goldies run sessions for Afro Caribbean elders, South Asian older people and senior people from the Chinese community.
 
The sessions, an intergenerational schools programmes and additional open community events give people who live in isolation a REASON to get out, make friends and take a more
active part in community life. For many attending is one of the few times to enjoy the company of others, to SING and to SMILE.
 
 
www.golden-oldies.org.uk
 

PRESS RELEASE
​Sing & Smile in Ringwood

In the UK there are millions of people living in isolation and missing out on regular contact with their family and friends.  Now in its 10th year the Golden-Oldies Charity, fondly referred to just as ‘Goldies’, which has Sir Cliff Richard as its patron, is  bringing its ethos that singing “popular“ music can take people back to happy times and bring joy and friendship to their lives through a new monthly sing-along session in Ringwood.

The Golden-Oldies Charity is based on the well documented fact that singing is good for you, it encourages good breathing and brightens up your day and gives you a chance to meet other people. It puts a smile on your face too! The songs are carefully chosen and based on the popular sing-along hits from the 50s onwards. They encourage people to clap in rhythm to the music, tap their feet, smile and, if they want to, get up and dance!

Grenville Jones, Founder and Chief Officer for “Goldies” said, “In nine short years we have come a long way and now run over 130 Sing & Smile sessions across the South of England, Staffordshire, Yorkshire and Wales. Those attending are elderly people, and people who are socially isolated, as well as people with learning difficulties and dementia. For many “Goldies” is their lifeline and we hear this at every session from the people who attend.”

Grenville continued, “We run one other monthly sessions in Hampshire at Lion Oak Court, Andover and although we are a small charity we want to move forward and brighten more and more lives, so we are holding a ‘taster session’ in Ringwood on Friday 18th November from 2 -4 pm at Greyfriars Community Centre on Christchuch Road BH24 1DW, with the aim of establishing a regular monthly session there.”

Grenville concluded, “There’s always a friendly welcome and a cup of tea afterwards, so do come along; “Goldies” is a very good reason get out and be with others. The taster session is completely free, all we ask is that everyone who attends our normal sessions makes a minimum £2 donation to our charity.”

ENDS
 

​PRESS RELEASE
Friday, November 4th, 2016

​A schools inter-generational project from the Golden-Oldies charity, commemorating the first two years of WW1 has been recognised by a prestigious national organisation. 

The Remember WW1 awards celebrated the huge effort made throughout the UK by individuals and groups to commemorate WW1 and to give back something to their communities. Hundreds of organisations were nominated for 7 categories in the awards listing. One of these was for schools and young people. 

The founder of Golden-Oldies, Grenville Jones attended a presentation ceremony at the Army and Navy Club in Pall Mall on Wednesday of this week, November 2 to receive a certificate as an award finalist. 

The project, funded by a Heritage Lottery Fund First World War grant engaged with over 60 primary schools across the South West with many events and commemorations.  

The certificate was presented by Sir Eric Pickles.  

‘i congratulate all the entrants from across the UK for their endeavour and commitment to ensuring that those who had served in the Great War are remembered with pride.' 
​
The Goldies Charity will soon launch its next WW1 project which will put the spotlight on the final two years of WW1 and will be open to all primary schools across the UK. For full details see www.ourmemories.org.uk.
 
Ends
 
Image shows the certificate
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones – 07778 282934