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23/12/20
09:43
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NEWS
Picture by Carsten Windhorst
CUPPA CONCERTS City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is launching concerts for older people living in care. Cuppa Concerts: At Home is a series of filmed performances for older people to enjoy anywhere in the UK. Available throughout the year, the concerts cater for most musical tastes – with the first featuring a five-piece brass group of CBSO musicians. The orchestra provides care settings with access to online resources as well as a DVD of the concert, lyric sheets and activity ideas.
TOWER APPEAL A £3million fund-raising campaign is being launched to restore the historic ‘county church of Warwickshire’. Around £2million will pay for urgent repairs to the landmark tower of St Mary’s Collegiate Church in Warwick, which dates back to 1123. Campaign 2023 aims to secure the majority of the fundraising by 2023 to coincide with the 900th anniversary of the medieval church. Details or make a donation at www.stmaryscampaign2023. org.uk
BLESSING’S BIG BREAK
TOY RUN HEROES Children in hospital received extra presents from Santa, thanks to riders and volunteers at Warwickshire and Solihull Blood Bikes. The charity, which transports urgent blood, tissue and medical supplies across the county’s
Local teenage singing sensation Blessing Chitapa is hitting the high notes after winning TV talent show, The Voice. Originally from
hospitals, raised the money through its Toy Run public appeal. Covid-19
Zimbabwe, the 18-year-old
restrictions meant that this year they weren’t allowed to deliver the toys in
moved to the West Midlands
person, leaving them at special hospital drop-off points. The Toy Run appeal
in 2009 and comes from a
has raised thousands of pounds for sick children over the past eight years.
family of gospel singers. Blessing was mentored on the show by Olly Murs and said: “Olly helped me to develop my own self belief system and I can’t wait to make people feel good with my music”. Blessing’s winning single Angels is available to download and stream via https://thevoice2020.lnk.to/ Blessing
TYRESE’S ONLINE HIT A disabled Birmingham teenager who hit the headlines in lockdown when more than 50,000 people joined his free online sign language lessons, made a special return to the ‘virtual classroom’ for the festive season. Fifteen-year-old Tyrese Dibba taught his students how to talk about the Christmas holidays in British Sign Language. Tyrese said: APPEAL: Vaughan Roberts, vicar of St Mary’s and team rector of Warwick, leading the Campaign 2023 project
08 birmingham living
“Hopefully the festive lesson will have helped others to feel more confident talking to deaf people like me, so we can all feel more included.”
january 2021