Willoughby Uniting Church will be one of the venues country-wide where the community is invited to gather together and join in the Sing-a-Long-a-Thon.
The event is hosted by With One Voice, one of Australia’s largest and most inclusive community choir networks. During March, the 26 choirs from the With One Voice network will be taking their brand of joyful singing to the streets and encouraging everyone to discover the mental wellbeing benefits of singing together.
As well as celebrating the joy of singing, the Sing-a-Long-a-Thon will also be raising funds for the With One Voice inclusive choir program. The choirs’ goal is to raise $50,000 by the end of March to support participants who are experiencing financial distress and keep the choirs inclusive and accessible to all.
Donations up to $50,000 are being generously matched by the Australian Government’s arts body, Creative Australia, and their Plus1 matched funding program.
This initiative is led by the non-profit Creativity Australia, which was founded in 2008 with the goal of using the neuroscientific benefits of singing together to reduce the mental health impacts of loneliness and isolation.
The charity runs the With One Voice inclusive choir program, where thousands of singers gather weekly in 26 different locations across the country to sing and build community. With One Voice choirs are open to everyone, with no auditions or singing experience required, and participation is by donation.
The community can get involved by joining in the Sing-a-Long at Willoughby Uniting Church on 24 March at 5.30pm.
For donations and more information, visit: shoutforgood.com/fundraisers/sing-a-long-a-thon