Cantando Female Voice Community Choir raises thousands for domestic abuse charity Aurora New Dawn after 16 weeks of lockdown music videos

We are Family, You don’t own me and Islands in the Stream are just a few of the 16 songs the Cantando Female Voice Community Choir has performed together virtually to raise more than £3,800 for Portsmouth-based charity Aurora New Dawn.

Choir director Rebecca Robertson said: ‘It is amazing to raise so much for a charity that is such an amazing support in the city.

‘As things are slowly going back to some sort of normality we thought we would end it but we have really enjoyed singing every week for a good cause and performed a variety of songs for every taste.’

The group, which consists of 42 members, put together videos with each song including pictures and videos of themselves and loved ones.

Mother-of-two Rebecca added: ‘I think having rehearsals every week has helped the choir during lockdown, especially those living alone, and we have all become so much closer as a community having gone through this together.’

Aurora New Dawn chief executive Shonagh Dillon said: ‘Over lockdown we turned our attention to providing a 24/7 helpline to support to victims and survivors of domestic abuse, we knew that victims would be placed in more danger due to the added layer of lockdown measures supporting a perpetrators behaviour.

‘Cantando Female Voice Choir joined us on our journey by recording a song each week through lockdown. The funds they raised provide the added extras that make all the difference to survivors lives, including staying in hotels, food vouchers and extra staff shifts to ensure we offer the best service to victims we possibly can.

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‘The support has energised us at Aurora and evidences the vital importance of community collaboration. Portsmouth is a great city, full of kind souls, and the choir epitomises that well-known Pompey spirit.’

Every one of the choir’s 16 videos will be shown at The Jolly Sailor in Southsea on Saturday, August 29 at 7.30pm and there will be a collection for Aurora New Dawn.

To donate visit gofundme.com/f/singing-Against-domestic-violence

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