Sing and sign choir brings joy to Cornwall

Penny, on the left, sings and signs as part of the choir at Bowden Derra Park

A Cornish choir with a difference is getting regular bookings after forming only two years ago.

The At The Park Sing and Sign Choir has about 30 members, with members' ages ranging from seven to in their 70s, and with most of them have a learning disability. They use sign language while also singing popular songs.

It was founded by Lisa Drake, a senior support worker at Bowden Derra Park, a residential community near Launceston for adults with specialist needs. She said she wanted to teach keyword signing and discovered singing was a fun way learn it.

Leaders said they had bookings throughout the summer to perform at local events and in schools.

At The Park Sing and Sign Choir performs for their fellow residents

Keyword signing involves using signs for key words in a sentence to aid communication.

Lisa explained: "I attended a keyword signing course. I tried to teach it to those in the community and the staff, but it was proving difficult."

She said she experimented with signing and singing: "It was a bit of a revelation - we suddenly found: 'Ooh! This is a really easy way to learn the songs, to learn the different signs,' and that took over."

She said they enjoyed it so much they met for weekly rehearsals and it took off from there.

Choir member Penelope said: "It makes me feel really happy. I'm proud of myself.

"It's very difficult because you have to practise the signs and the songs because you need to sing at the same time as signing."

Lisa Drake leads the choir as the singers perform for fellow residents at Bowden Derra Park

The choir gets requests to perform at all sorts of events, among them, the upcoming Launceston Carnival.

Lisa said: "We're told by people our performances move them to tears, and they find it really uplifting. People love watching us."

Luke, another choir member, added that he enjoyed the response of audiences, saying: "It makes me feel proud and very chilled."

The choir also includes staff members at Bowden Derra Park, as well as their children.

Lisa said: "People who live here just feel really empowered by it.

"It's brought them immense joy; a sense of belonging and that they can give something.

"To me, the ethos of it, is just joy. That we bring joy, and that's the meaning of it to me."