Deaf News: Derby Community Signing Choir beat local rivals to triumph in Jersey

Posted on November 10, 2014 by



The Derby Community Signing Choir returned from Jersey on Sunday 9th November having been crowned the top Signing Choir in the UK.

Simon Astill and Sue Bailey-Douglas, the Choir’s MDs entered a group of 12 ladies from the Choir to the UK’s only Signing Choir competition at the Jersey Eisteddfod.

The Signing Choir Competition at the Eisteddfod is currently in it’s fourth year and is the only Signing Choir Competition in the UK. What is even more amazing is the Derby Community Signing Choir was only formed 14 months ago and has gone from strength to strength in that short space of time.

Simon, himself profoundly Deaf, says, “When we set up the Choir, we never thought we would achieve such an accolade within such a short space of time, it pays credit to the hard work and determination of the ladies involved in the Choir.”

The group narrowly edged Simon & Sue’s other Choir, the Radcliffe on Trent Community Signing Choir from Nottingham into joint second place by only one point.

Two members of the Derby Choir went into Direct Competition with Simon and Sue in the Duet Class of the Eisteddfod and what was a close fought battle between them, Tarnia Lafevre and Claire Lane, both from Long Eaton settled for second place behind their MD’s. “That was a difficult situation to be”, states Sue, “The last thing you want is to be in direct competition with members of your own choir, but with Tarnia and Claire coming in as runners up to us, it shows the level that they have achieved themselves and it is nothing to be ashamed of.”

The Derby Community Signing Choir are now focussing on their next performance at the National Deaf Childrens Society annual Christmas Sign & Sing event at the Allestree Woodlands school on Friday 5th December 2014 at 7pm

Further information on the Choir can be found on www.harmoneyes.org.uk.


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Posted in: deaf news