Joining Kelsborrow Choir

We rehearse every Tuesday night with short breaks during Summer and Christmas, at Ashton Hayes Village Hall, Church Road, CH3 8AB and are always looking for new members, particularly tenor and bass voices. All you need is a reasonable voice and limitless enthusiasm to enjoy our company - everyone will help you to learn and fit in easily and if you're a man we're afraid you may be spoiled!. It's not even necessary to read music or have a formal audition - of course if you're really bad we might have to throw out large hints but really it's very rare for members to leave us once they've taken that first step to contact us and come to their first rehearsal.

When you first arrive it will be ascertained which Section you are joining (Soprano, Contralto, Tenor or Bass) and for the first six weeks or so you will be "looked after" by your Section Leader or a deputy. After this, assuming you wish to stay with us, you will receive a Welcome Pack with all the information you could possibly need and a copy of our Constitution. See Welcome Pack section below for full details

(Photo) Men first to tea!

Rehearsals commence at 7.45pm and finish at 9.45pm and we have a 10-15minute break around 8.30pm. Any notices re forthcoming events and any availability lists are displayed on a board each week.

Tea and Coffee is provided but we have a Tea Rota which involves all members taking turns at brewing up and washing up afterwards (there's always extra help anyway).

Annual General Meeting

Welcome to our Choir

When joining you will be asked some of your personal details including date of birth - this is both for ease of contact (cancelled meetings etc), so you can be reminded of the '43 Club (see below), and so everyone can sing to you on your birthday (lucky you!).

After your initial joining period you will be given a Welcome Pack - this is currently being updated but consists of a welcome letter, a copy of the Kelsborrow Choir Constitution and the following details:

• Member List - with a full list of officers, members and contact details.

• Subscription information - this is currently £50 annually, and payable using Gift Aid when possible.

• Rehearsal Breaks - dates of any breaks in rehearsal dates

• Apologies for absence - details of who to offer apologies for absence to.

• Attendance - members are required to attend at least four rehearsals out of six prior to a concert.

• Availability Sheets - these are used for each concert to establish that a balanced choir is going to be available and it is essential that, once your name is added, you take part.

• Concert uniform - men wear a black dinner suit with a white shirt and the choir blue bow tie (which is provided), plus black shoes. Ladies wear a black skirt and top with choir blue jacket and/or scarf (which are all provided) and should be accompanied by black tights, plus black shoes. An annual contribution of £10 is payable for the ladies uniform to provide funding for any future changes to uniform and it remains the property of the choir.

• Library - members bring books in which are loaned/sold at 50p each during rehearsal breaks to raise money for choir funds.

• Monthly draw - members who wish may pay £1 monthly to take part in the monthly draw, the proceeds of which are split between winners and choir funds.

• Social events - details of the annual dinner, the annual BBQ and any other social event currently planned.

• '43 Club - if members were born in 1943 they can join an elite group who get together for a special celebratory dinner annually!

• Concert tickets - members are expected to encourage sales of tickets for our concerts; even an odd one can boost funds for the charities or even for the choir.

• Commitment - it will be expected that members commit fully to rehearsal nights, in other words please don't arrange anything else on a Tuesday night!