Police force cuts ties with male voice choir... because it has too many men!
BY definition and tradition, a male voice choir tends to consist of ... er, men.
But a police force has cut ties with one such vocal ensemble – because it does not promote gender equality.
Derbyshire Constabulary Male Voice Choir has raised more than £750,000 for charity since it was set up in 1956.
However, it will now be known as Derbyshire Community Male Voice Choir after chief constable Peter Goodman said he could ‘no longer support’ a choir whose membership was almost entirely male.
Mr Goodman said it was at odds with the force’s position as an ‘equal opportunities employer’.
Choir chairman Kevin Griffiths said the chief constable had asked them to recruit women as part of the force’s drive to promote gender equality. But Mr Griffiths said it would be too difficult to recruit around 50 female singers.
He also pointed out the uniqueness of a male voice choir, which performs music arranged for men’s voices.
As a result, the Chief Constable gave notice that it could no longer use Derbyshire Constabulary in its name. The choir has also been told to disassociate itself from the police.
It is now made up of civilians but is closely linked to the force and members wear old police tunics for performances.
They sing at police events, have their own section on the force’s website and met on Monday evenings at St Mary’s Wharf Police Station in Derby – but will now need to find a new rehearsal venue. The choir does have one female member, Anne Allen, the pianist.
Mr Griffiths said: ‘We are all deeply saddened. There are a number of members who have been in the choir for 30 years or more. We really do feel like we are the victims of political cor-
‘He dropped a bombshell’
rectness. We fully understand the new chief constable’s drive for gender equality but this has gone too far.’
Mr Griffiths said he was invited to meet Mr Goodman in September, three months after the new chief took up his role. ‘I thought I was going up there for a nice chat and then he dropped a bombshell,’ he said. ‘He thanked us for our 60 years and then said he could no longer support us.
‘He promised to speak to our members but didn’t turn up twice. When he did come, we tried to explain our position but it fell on deaf ears.’
The choir received a letter last month telling them it could no longer be linked to the force.
It was set up in 1956 with backing of the then-chief constable Colonel Horatio Rawlings. It has performed in cathedrals, city halls and on TV. It celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2016 with a concert at Derby Cathedral.
It also performed at force commendation ceremonies, other formal police events and at officers’ funerals.
Mr Griffiths said cutting ties with the police may also boost membership. ‘We see this as a great opportunity to develop the choir further. The only major change for us is a move to a new rehearsal room.’
Mr Goodman said: ‘We are committed to having an organisation where there are no enclaves where people from different backgrounds cannot go. Having a male voice choir representing the organisation is incompatible with this.’