Hyde-based choir celebrate ten year anniversary

Tameside Voices, a Hyde-based community choir, celebrated their ten-year anniversary at the end of July.

In celebration of this, a summer concert was held at Hyde Central Methodist Church on Crook Street.

The evening included an interval tea party and songs ranging from the 1950s to present day; including a mixture of pop and ‘Dirty Dancing’ classics, among many other audience favourites, and ending with a grand finale of ‘Circle of Life’.

The venue, with a capacity of 140 seats, sold out within a matter of months, ahead of the event.

The group also invited Civic Mayor Tafheen Sharif and described it as a ‘great honour’ to have her attend.

Sue Devaney, who plays Debbie Webster in Coronation Street, was also in attendance, alongside some soloists from Pendleton Sixth Form College.

Steven Bodgers, chairman of the choir, said: “We were overwhelmed, it was such an amazing turnout.

“The audience were so enthusiastic too, they loved it.

“It was honestly a great event.

“Following the pandemic, our choir diminished in numbers, but this just really reinforced that we’re back, with self-sustaining figures.”

The Civic Mayor of Tameside, Cllr Tafheen Sharif, said: “It was a pleasure and an honour to attend Tameside Voices’ tenth anniversary concert at Hyde Methodist Church.

“Membership of the choir is not just about music and song - important as that is - it is also about health and wellbeing and bringing people together in a common purpose.

“In Tameside we are extremely fortunate to have so many volunteer groups doing so much work to help others.

“They are a fine example of the goodness that exists right across our borough and in all its communities.

“I congratulate Tameside Voices on all they have achieved since 2013.

“I’m sure they will enjoy a great deal more success over the next ten years.”

If you’d like to be a part of the choir, you can either turn up any Thursday at 4pm (your first session will be free of charge) or send an email to steven.bodgers@gmail.com.