Providing all the festive feels, Helen Elliott and her Smiley Tunes Alley Cats Escape choir dropped into Minerva Place in Lymm, Cheshire, to lead a seasonal singalong at the McGoff Group’s innovative multigenerational development.
Members of Helen’s local choir joined residents from Minerva Place, the over 55s retirement apartments on Whitbarrow Road, plus residents from Statham Manor care centre and children from Back to the Garden day nursery, for a feel good festive singalong followed by mince pies, refreshments and mingling.
Delighting all ages with their love of singing, the Alley Cats Escape choir performed a number of new songs plus seasonal favourites and ended with some rousing classic Christmas carols.
Accompanied by music, the choir delivered its repertoire in an informal and engaging way which actively encouraged spectator interaction and participation. Residents joined in where they knew the words and the children had a great time moving to the music.
Lifestyle manager at Minerva Place, Helen Murphy, said: “It’s great to be able to bring the different age groups together and we have hosted a number of activities with the care home and day nursery since we opened.
“The magic and traditional celebrations of Christmas provide an extra special reason to bring old and young together and we were delighted to be joined by the Alley Cats for what was a fantastic morning of good cheer. A wonderful time was had by all with everyone taking part in the carols and really getting into the Christmas spirit.”
Helen Elliott added: “Carols and singing are the essence of Christmas and a really uplifting way to bring individuals of all ages together. It is our mission to help more people discover the joy and pleasure that singing can bring, and seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces as we sang at Minerva Place today was amazing.”
Established by Helen Elliott in April 2019, Smiley Tunes is a local singing company that encourages everyone to feel the joy and health benefits of singing. No previous experience is necessary, and the Alley Cats Escape Choir meets every Wednesday during term time in Lymm Village Hall.
Conceived and developed by the McGoff Group, Lymm’s innovate intergenerational development features luxury retirement apartments, a state-of-the-art care centre and natural children’s day nursery.
