Choir’s mash-up helps funds zoom in for local causes

A CARMARTHEN-BASED choir is aiming to raise £3,000 for local charities.

A Choired Taste specialises in mash-ups of popular songs to create its own distinctive take on favourites.

Leader Sarah Kirby and members of all ages have produced a video as a huge thank you to frontline workers and key services during the coronavirus. Money raised will go towards the Covid-19 ward at Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen Foodbank, Carmarthen Domestic Abuse Services and towards the 5K for Ben appeal which saw four-year-old “superstar” Sam Dixon from Capel Dewi walking 5k a day for charity in memory of his baby brother Benjamin who died last month.

Benjamin had been diagnosed with the condition called congenital diaphragmic hernia (CDH).

The A Choired Taste video which has proved a hit on Youtube and Facebook sees the choir merge hits to pay tribute to the work being done by key workers, services and other fundraisers during the Covid-19 crisis.

The video includes songs such as A Million Dreams from the Greatest Showman, Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars, Ben E King’s Stand By Me, the Friends TV theme I’ll Be There For You by the Remembrants and Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing.

The initial plan was to raise £1,000 and split it between the four charities.

However, due to the popularity of the video the fundraising target shot up to £3,000 with the money shared out to the charities.

Sarah Kirby, who is a music teacher at QE High School in Carmarthen, made the video by getting the choir members to perform at home on web conferencing program Zoom.

Members sang different parts at home, forwarded the videos to Sarah and she then edited the clips to make the music video.

Sarah said: “The mashup of those songs was something I had put together last year for the NHS and had everyone from consultants to doctors and nurses singing it. It was part of a wellbeing session I was asked to do.

“So I thought as the songs all had a theme of thanks and praise that the choir could record it and raise money.”

“There are 85 video clips within the video and 71 members, so it took some time to edit all together but its proved so popular which is great.” ■ To donate visit www. justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/ achoiredtaste