Maureen came across the choir by chance. She was on her way to Lewisham shopping centre and saw a sign in a window.
“I just took the number down and went along, when I joined there were only two or three other people in the choir.”
“Dave just said ‘I’ve got some music if you want to sing’.”
The friendly atmosphere of Deptford Community Choir makes it special for Maureen who has been part of church and school choirs in the past.
“Singing in a group is very uplifting, the feeling of being together just raises your spirits, and from the first time you walk into a practice session everyone makes you feel welcome.”
“There’s no pressure to be there every single week, and the focus is on singing not sheet music or attendance.”
Maureen is a big fan of Bruno Mars, and loved singing one of his songs as part of the choir, but Thina Simunye is her current favourite.
“Thina Simunye is uplifting and spiritual with simple lyrics that say let’s come together and sing.”
“I didn’t know the history behind the song, but it felt very warm and everyone picked up on it really fast.”
As a regular church-goer, Maureen has discovered a spiritual dimension of singing together at Deptford Community Choir.
“I feel spiritual, as though the music has touched a nerve and I feel empowered to sing. I also love listening to the other singers when they sing solos. It takes a lot of courage to sing a solo!”
“I feel a long lost sense of community at Deptford Community Choir, and find it amazing it can create something like this.”

Fiona joined the choir after a friend convinced her to come along. She had tried singing in other choirs, but they asked for knowledge of sheet music, and she always felt out of her depth.
“I just wanted to sing! I was nervous when I joined, but I loved hearing the choir’s sound, and I didn’t feel any pressure to join or come back the next week – but I did.”
“When I sing in the choir I feel like no one can touch me like I’m invincible, it’s very empowering.”
Fiona is on medication with some serious side-effects, and the choir makes up an important part of her weekly routine.
“I can move other commitments around, but not choir – it helps me get out of bed sometimes.”
“When I sing in the choir, a kinder side of me emerges, and I like to listen to the other singers. It’s just like talking to a friend, singing makes me feel so much lighter, like I can unburden myself.
“Choir makes me feel good, no matter what kind of day I’ve had.”
One Life One Love One Family is Fiona’s favourite song because it was written as a group exercise by the choir, and composed by Dave, the choir leader.
The first time the choir sang the song was in a garden between lockdowns during the covid-19 pandemic.
“I love the solo at the beginning, and how the rest of the choir joins in and raises the raises up the soloist’s energy.”
“The words were so poignant because the song reflected our experiences during the pandemic, and some of the challenges we were all facing. I will never forget the feeling we had in that garden when we sang it together for the first time.”
“It’s a rare experience being part of something so human-orientated.”