- Presentation to RNLI
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Date Posted: Mon, 7 Oct 2024
Is Mike McMahon celebrating a Post Code Lottery win?
Actually, the RNLI MK Branch Chair's delight is in the receipt of a cheque for £1250 from MKCC Chair, Stuart O'Brien. This sum represented the proceeds from the raffle, refreshments, programmes and donations (including the sale of a painting of a lifeboat by a choir member) at the MKCC charity concert held on 20th July 2024.
- 'Sing to Save Lives' concert
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Date Posted: Thu, 25 Jul 2024
MKCC was very pleased to welcome Kurshida Mirza BEM, the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire to their summer concert on Saturday 20th July. This year the choir chose to support the work of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution on the 200th anniversary of its foundation and in keeping with this the programme had a sea-focussed theme. The vital work that the RNLI do to save lives at sea was described in the interval by Michael McMahon, the Branch Chairman of the Milton Keynes Fund Raising Branch of the RNLI,
The sea theme was enhanced by special guests the folksinging duo DRYWOOD and by Mike Weston who sang his own composition 'The Never Turn Back', accompanied by the choir.
Proceeds from the raffle, refreshments, programmes and donations (including the sale of a painting of a lifeboat by a choir member) raised a total of £1250 for the RNLI. A wonderful achievement!
MKCC is grateful for financial support for the concert from the Wolverton & Greenleys Town Council and the Shenley Brook End & Tattenhoe Parish Council.
- Community Choirs' Festival 2024
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Date Posted: Sun, 9 Jun 2024
For the fourth year running MKCC hosted the Community Choirs' Festival on 1st June in Campbell Park. Yet more choirs joined in this year, making a total of 18 including a guest appearance from the Nigerian Women's Choir whose colourful traditional dress added sparkle to the day. This year MKCC headed the bill and had the audience cheering and dancing in front of the stage. Following last year's 'Big Sing', when all the choirs join together to sing the same piece, this year we all sang 'With Courage' in homage to the RNLI which is celebrating 200 years since its foundation. MKCC's summer concert on 20th July will also be supporting the RNLI's 200th anniversary. Photos of the festival can be found on Milton Keynes Community Choir Photo Galleries.
The festival has been supported by funding from the MK Community Foundation.
- 'Dreaming of Christmas' concert
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Date Posted: Sat, 23 Dec 2023
For the first time in 4 years, MKCC was able to hold a live Christmas concert on Saturday 9th December at the Ridgeway in Old Wolverton. The past 3 concerts were unfortunately cancelled due to Covid and a heating failure at the venue. So this year's concert was an extra special event not only because of the long gap since previous Christmas concerts but also because it was a great pleasure to be accompanied by Milton Keynes Brass and to sing with soloist Bethany Mcleish. We sold 187 tickets and donated £800 for our chosen charity - unicef.
- Act of Remembrance at MK Rose, Campbell Park
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Date Posted: Sat, 11 Nov 2023
MKCC was proud to be invited to participate again in the 'Act of Remembrance and Wreath Laying' at Milton Keynes Rose on 11th November 2023. This year they were joined by sister choir TGI and together the two choirs sang 'Only Remembered' and 'Bright Battalions'. The ceremony took place on a beautifully sunny Autumn morning and was particularly moving given all the strife in the world at the moment.
- MK Can - Successful Guinness World Record Attempt
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Date Posted: Sat, 21 Oct 2023
On Monday 16th October, MKCC contributed to MK Food Bank's attempt at smashing the Guinness World Record for the longest line of cans. The choir contributed 350 cans and together with other donors lined them up in Campbell Park, Milton Keynes. The final line of 102,447 cans stretched for 10km and will provide more than half of the canned food that MK Food Bank needs for an entire year. The Food Bank now holds the official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TM title of 'The Longest Line of Food Cans in the World'.
In addition to donating cans, the choir put on a vibrant performance that had a very appreciative audience singing and dancing along.For more information, see: https://mkfoodbank.org.uk/mk-can/
- Fundraising for the Libyan Floods and Moroccan Earthquake Appeals
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Date Posted: Fri, 20 Oct 2023
On Saturday 14th October MKCC entertained visitors to the Xscape building in Central Milton Keynes by singing a range of songs from their repertoire plus some songs new to the choir requested by passing toddlers! This fundraising effort was in support of the disaster appeals for the recent floods in Libya and the earthquake in Morocco. The amount raised, which was boosted by proceeds from the choir's weekly raffle has enabled the choir to donate £300 to each appeal.
- MK CAN - Launch of World Record Attempt
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Date Posted: Thu, 13 Jul 2023
MKCC turned out in force to support the launch of the MK CAN World Record Attempt at the MK Rose on 5th July. The World Record attempt will take place on Monday 16th October from 9am to 4pm in Campbell Park, Milton Keynes when a line of food cans will be created by community groups and businesses stretching across Campbell Park to the Tree Cathedral and beyond. 5-10 volunteers from each participating group or business is asked to bring 350 cans of food to create their own section of the line. For more information, see: https://mkfoodbank.org.uk/mk-can-a-world-record-attempt/
- MK Community Choirs' Festival 2023
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Date Posted: Mon, 19 Jun 2023
MK Community Choirs' Festival continues to go from strength to strength and we were again blessed with warm and sunny weather. This year was the largest festival so far with 18 choirs, from locally-based to choirs from Birmingham and Suffolk. A highlight of the day was the (pre) premier of one of the songs from a newly-commissioned work for voice and chamber ensemble responding to the 250th anniversary of the writing of the hymn Amazing Grace by John Newton, curate in nearby Olney. The new work Forever? responds to the different meanings Amazing Grace has for people in the 21st century and will have its World premier at the MK International Festival (ifmiltonkeynes.org) on 22nd July. Participating choirs were: Harmonise TMA ; Broughton Manor Prep; MK Youth Choir; Lenborough Singers; MK Acapella; Chanteuses; Hart and Soul Community Choir; Grand Union Community Choir; Polymnia; Sing Space Choir Milton Keynes; TGI Choir; Musica Charity Choir; MK Sweet Sound Choir; Vocalshack; MK Chorale; Pop Chorus; Milton Keynes Community Choir; Birmingham Town Hall Gospel Choir.
For more information, see: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-65927751?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA&fbclid=IwAR2g3wJczr-N8dPOyf-ZazP9d4ZUcp3m-faHaK4dHE4ALSfHYqqbx_YqVZ4
- Choir Smash in Bourton-on-the Water
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Date Posted: Sat, 27 May 2023
MKCC joined with Melody Makers Choir from Bristol for the first-ever 'Choir smash'. We met at Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds, which is almost half way between each choir's hometown, where the parish church, St Lawrence's provided a wonderful acoustic and a beautiful location. Led by the MDs for each choir, we enjoyed a day of singing songs we had learnt in the weeks beforehand together with some new pieces. The day was rounded off with a public performance featuring over 100 voices of the combined choirs plus some pieces sung separately by each choir. Photos from the day taken by Stephanie Ballantine can be viewed on the photos page of this website.
- Happy Birthday Fiona!
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Date Posted: Tue, 23 May 2023
Birthday congratulations to one of MKCC's founder members, Fiona Trinder. Fiona brought this wonderful cake to choir night for us all to share and there was the added fun trying to identify the inspiration for the cake decorations!
- Charity sing for the Turkish & Syrian Earthquake appeal
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Date Posted: Mon, 27 Mar 2023
MK Community Choir raised £537.93 for the Turkish and Syrian Earthquake appeal on Saturday 27th February by doing a 2-hour impromptu performance in the Xscape building in Milton Keynes City centre. Thanks to choir member Claire Groves for supplying the photo.
- Carol Singing
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Date Posted: Tue, 13 Dec 2022
MKCC had a busy weekend at the beginning of December singing carols at the Wolverton Lantern Parade on Saturday 3rd and at 'Angels at the Abbey' at Bradwell Abbey on the following day. At the Bradwell Abbey event we joined several other choirs from local schools to sing 'You are not alone' by Cathal Smyth. The song was live streamed across the UK and internationally and Willie Robb will be making a documentary and music video of the song and the ‘You’re not alone project’ which will be on the MK City Discovery Centre's youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVoVsAlv4ftKMNaMXXYctjg
- EURO ANTHEM FOR MILTON KEYNES
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Date Posted: Fri, 29 Jul 2022
The choir was invited to sing the specially commissioned Milton Keynes anthem for the Women's Euros on match day, 27th July when Germany played France at Stadium MK. The choir did two performances of the anthem at the Fan Party in Station Square CMK and were joined by the MK Youth Choir and pupils from Coldharbour School for the first performance and accompanied by MK Brass and members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
- MK COMMUNITY CHOIRS’ FESTIVAL 2022
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Date Posted: Tue, 12 Jul 2022
For the second year running, MKCC hosted the MK Community Choirs' Festival on July 6th in Campbell Park Amphitheatre. This year MKCC were joined by six other local choirs: MK Women's Choir; Musica Charity Choir; TGI Choir; MK Chorale; MK Youth Choir; Lenborough Singers plus guests, the As One Choir from Hitchin.
- Shenley Lodge performance
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Date Posted: Wed, 15 Jun 2022
After the long pause during Covid restrictions, invitations to sing at events are coming thick and fast. This photo shows some members of the choir at a Jubilee event attended by the residents of Shenley Lodge on 1st June, 2022. Attachment: 
- Big Lunch
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Date Posted: Wed, 15 Jun 2022
The choir were invited to entertain the Jubilee picnicers at the Big Lunch on Sunday 5th June. The photo shows all those choir members who were able to sing on that historic day. Attachment:
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- Guest Choral Leader
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Date Posted: Mon, 11 Apr 2022
Jonathan Kingston will be joining us as Guest Choral Leader at the beginning of the Summer term, whilst Craig is away leading Young Voices. Jonathan enjoys a portfolio freelance career as a performing musician, musical director, teacher, examiner and musical consultant. With his background as a choral director, he has served three Cathedrals from where he broadcast as a conductor as well as an organist. While a full-time teacher, he spent twelve years as a Director of Music in two leading schools building large and inclusive departments and touring the choirs internationally. Jonathan thoroughly enjoys working with both amateur and professional choirs and believes music should be accessible to all-comers. He is musical director at the Parish Church in Stony Stratford as well as the part-time Choral Director at Stowe School. He is thoroughly looking forward to working with members of the MKCC once again!
- MK FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS WINNERS
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Date Posted: Sat, 12 Mar 2022
MKCC retained the top spot at this year's Milton Keynes Festival of the Arts for Dance, Music and Drama by winning first place in their section despite stiff competition from Dagnall Community Choir and the Arts 1 Adult Choir. Singing 'Lovely on the Water' (a traditional folk song) and 'Dig Deep' by Pete Churchill, the choir was awarded the first prize of a cup, medal and certificate for the second year running. In the adjudicator's words, the choir 'brought magic into the room'! Choir members were thrilled to be returning to singing on stage together once again after the restraints of Covid have prevented us from doing this since our last appearance on stage at the MK Community Choirs' Festival in Campbell Park in July 2021.
- Donation to the Ukraine Crisis Appeal
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Date Posted: Wed, 2 Mar 2022
At last night's AGM (1st March), the choir agreed to donate all the funds available in the choir's Charity budget to the Red Cross's 'Ukraine Crisis Appeal' so today a donation for £250 was made to the appeal.
Julia Critchley who runs the 50/50 charity fund via a weekly raffle will re-start the raffle at next week's choir rehearsal so the fund will start to build up once again, particularly if most members buy a ticket (or two)!For more information, see: https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal?c_name=UK%20Solidarity%20Fund&c_source=Facebook&c_medium=Social%20Ad&c_creative=Donate%20Landing_Image_Situation%20Update%20Image_Lo
- Presentation to Thames Valley Air Ambulance
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Date Posted: Wed, 9 Feb 2022
Ross and Joy from Thames Valley Air Ambulance came to the choir's rehearsal on 8th February to receive a cheque for £530. This sum was raised from donations made alongside ticket sales for MKCC's Christmas recording and from the collection made at the carol singing in the Hub. When gift aid is taken into account the choir has raised over £600 for the TVAA.
On behalf of TVAA, Ross thanked us for raising the money for the charity, which would contribute towards keeping the emergency helicopters in the air and the fast response vehicles running!
Nicola Bishop, the TVAA's Community Fundraising Officer thanked us by letter and enclosed a certificate from TVAA (attached to this post) recognising our fundraising achievement. In the letter she said:
"This is an amazing amount of money, which could keep one of our emergency response vehicles on the road for 10 days, bringing the expertise, equipment and medication of the hospital to where it is needed most, so thank you so much.
Thanks to people like you we have been able to make huge developments in Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine. Our teams have at their fingertips the latest life support kit such as a compact chest compressor which allows us to continue treatment at the same time as keeping the heart pumping. We carry blood on board for on scene transfusions and a hospital level blood analyser which can give vital information in seconds. We have handheld ultrasound machines, able to show internal injuries at the roadside. In the last few years, TVAA have extended the service by introducing 5 Critical Care Response Vehicles all carrying the same equipment as our helicopter.
With your help, we are proud to be an organisation that is committed to constant development and enhancement and above all else, we are committed to patient care."
Attachment: 
- Funds raised for Thames Valley Air Ambulance
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Date Posted: Sat, 15 Jan 2022
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We raised £432 for Thames Valley Air Ambulance (TVAA) from donations made alongside ticket purchases for the Christmas recording. An additional £98 was collected at the carol singing in the Hub in Central Milton Keynes. £327 of the these funds raised were gift-aided so when this is taken into account, the choir has raised about £612 for TVAA this Christmas.
