Inspired by conversations with Craig McLeish of ChoirCommunity, the Project Get Singing Team developed the 'Winter Wander' for choirs, families, friends and people who just love a good Christmas sing!
The 'Winter Wander' was designed with England in mind, but please visit our guidance page to check guidance for your region - in particular the 'Making Music' link has a region checker tool.
It was wonderful to see pictures and videos of some of the Winter Wanders that took place in the lead up to Christmas. Here are some of the highlights.
WHY:
We would like to get the nation singing safely during this wonderful festive season, when we will all miss this warming and shared part of Christmas. As experienced vocal leaders we have been following and developing safe practice procedures throughout this changing year based on the science and keeping within governmental guidance. We now want to share our findings with you so that together, we can spread some Christmas cheer by doing what we love most; singing.
WHAT:
We developed a plan for a 'winter wander' in groups of no more than 6 (you can have multiple groups as long as they don't mix) where you can sing songs together as you walk. These 'wanders' will not be publicised beforehand to maintain safety and keep in line with social distancing advice, but instead will be a joyous surprise for bystanders as they receive some Christmas cheer from your singing.
HOW:
Planning:
Singers will be allocated into groups of 6 with varying roles as detailed below.
Talk through the safety protocol of walking through public spaces so that everyone is aware of pavements, traffic and potential bottle necks.
Plan out a short route; singers to arrive near the starting point keeping distanced, and to begin walking in their distanced groups at the allocated time slot. Singers to greet each other and disperse from the end point with no contact and not breaking the distancing rule (1.5m). The groups MUST remain separate and CANNOT mingle once the walk is finished.
No singer to break their quarantine or isolation guidance; and any singers with any symptoms should not attend. Singers with any current displaying cold/flu should avoid attending in order to keep passers-by calm.
Singers to NOT engage with any members of the public other than through song or clapping. ZERO contact.
If having more than one group of 6 involved, please call your local Police Community Liaison Officer 2 weeks in advance of the event date (www.police.uk ‘local police force finder’)
Everyone should sing with enthusiasm, but not shout. The sound from the speakers should be set just loud enough to support the singers and carry a few feet beyond the edges of the group but no more so that the voices of the singers are not straining.
No group should stop and sing in any location EVER (barring waiting for a pedestrian crossing or as required by traffic or other people in the processional route)
DON'T:
Publicise the date and time of your walk
Collect money in person on the walk
DO:
Have fun, take a selfie and wear festive attire!
Tag any posts on social media with the hashtag #projectgetsinging so we can share your experience with the rest of the UK
Please note that if you are doing any filming or photography, you should seek permission from the members of your group beforehand