A family affair charity concert involves two male voice choirs uniting to support Wullinkamma Clinic & Lower School in Gambia in providing basic essentials to motherless children.
Nia Roberts and Charity Volunteering
Nia Roberts, a well known teacher in Denbigh, is set to travel to Gambia during the summer to carry out volunteering work at Wullinkamma Clinic & Lower School. In so doing, she will be fulfilling a long held ambition.
Nia Roberts
When confronted with the plight of unfortunate nations, it’s much easier to look the other way.
But Nia feels a compelling need to help motherless children in the Gambia where post natal mortality is extremely high.
She is taking a substantial amount of supplies out to them. Including Formula Milk, milk bottles, nappies and clothes, generously donated to her project.
However, the hike in fuel costs over the last few months has doubled the cost of shipping the donated items out to the Gambia.
This left a shortfall which Nia is now desperately trying to overcome.
Nia and Llanddulas Male Voice Choir
Not only a music teacher, Nia is also the very talented Musical Director of Llanddulas Male Voice Choir where she is both conductor and accompanist.
Llanddulas Male Voice Choir
Formed in 1954, Llanddulas Male Voice Choir has endeared itself to many audiences throughout the world. Gaining and maintaining a reputation for a varied repertoire of music.
However, Nia is not the only member of the family to be so musically talented.
Sam Pritchard and Denbigh & District Male Voice Choir
As the COVID pandemic started to ease, Denbigh & District Male Voice Choir looked towards starting to practice together again. Two years had almost passed without any practices taking place.
As preparations started to move forward the choir suffered a set back in losing both their Musical Director and Accompanist. It was going to be a long search.
However, a suitable candidate was appointed to the post of Musical Director. This happened to be none other than Nia’s son, Sam Pritchard. It is a small world at times.
A family affair, Sam Pritchard, MD Denbigh MVC and mum, Nia Roberts MD Llanddulas MVC.
Sam duly attended a meeting to introduce himself. The choir committee suitably impressed. He was unanimously and immediately appointed to the dual role of Musical Director and Accompanist. A seismic change for the choir, having always had a separate Conductor and Accompanist.
Family affair Charity Concert to Raise Funds
While discussing how to raise funds to cover the shipping cost shortfall, Nia and Sam came up with the idea of their two choirs performing a joint concert. The choirs duly agreed. Of course, Llanddulas and Denbigh & District Male Voice Choirs have a previous connection.
Two of our former choristers, Gwynfor Evans and the late Alyn Lloyd, sang with Llanddulas for many years before joining us. They went on to become longstanding and very respected choristers with us.
Joint practices filmed for Wales ITV
Nia Roberts, MD of Llanddulas MVC; Carole Green, Senior ITV News Reporter and Sam Pritchard, MD of Denbigh MVC.
Preparations for the concert are well under way.
The first of three joint practices taking place on Tuesday 7th June at Eirianfa Community Centre.
Carole Green, one of ITV Cymru Wales’ most experienced and respected correspondents, was in attendance.
Her report will be shown on television before the concert.
Follow the choir’s Facebook and Twitter pages for more detail.
Joint practice with Llanddulas MVC
Charity Concert Details
Saturday 25th June, 7.00pm at Denbigh Town Hall, Crown Square, Denbigh.
Soloists Jennie Coates, Bethan Guiver and Kizzy Cooper will also be performing at the concert, ensuring a variety of good musical entertainment.
Tickets are £10 each and are on sale at Denbigh Chocolate Shop, Denbigh; Siop Clwyd Denbigh; Siop Elfair, Ruthin, or from any member of the two choirs.
We very much hope you will feel able to support this ‘family affair charity concert’ and a worthy cause. In so doing you will help Nia provide very much needed supplies to Wullinkamma Clinic & Lower School.
In conclusion, we really look forward to welcoming and entertaining you with a mixture of traditional and contemporary music on 25th June 2022.
You can see all our upcoming concerts here Upcoming Concerts
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