Gemma Francis - The Big Sing

Gemma lives in Witham but the Big Sing has many choirs in Essex. Maldon,

Brentwood, Chelmsford, Rayleigh, Halstead, Basildon and of course

Witham. It started just a few years ago when Gemma and husband Howard

decided to use their professional musicality to encourage all and sundry to

increase the enjoyment of life by joining a choir. Such was Gemma’s

enthusiasm that, from a stand still start, the Big Sing can now boast of over

800 members, a few of which entertained you tonight at our reception. The

Big Sing gave birth to a charity just about a year ago called SOUL…it has

already raised over £21,000. The Big Sing was nominated by Jodie

Sainsbury who said, “Gemma’s dreams are big but her heart is bigger.”

TIME

TIME, which stands for Therapy In Musical Expression. Based at Basildon they work throughout the county within many different areas of the community. They have accessed the homeless, drug and alcohol rehabilitation sectors, disability and respite centres and children’s playgroups. Usually working on a one to one basis, with people of all ages and abilities. TIME holds weekly club nights where instruments are provided to experiment with, disabled musicians can perform their own songs, those less gifted can take on other roles, compare, DJ, door-staff etc. It is a place where people of all ages and backgrounds are communicating, learning from each other, and providing each other with essential friendship and relationships.