Helta

"The choir celebrates each and every one of us. Some of us have been rejected all of our lives and can often feel misunderstood. So, when a group of people come together and celebrate you it’s really special, very personal. The choir sang Happy Birthday to me at one of our workshops and it was the first time I’ve experienced that because of my background. I felt so welcomed.

Singing takes away the pain, anxiety and stress. It’s the most beautiful feeling: like when you are tired and you rest. Or if you have a headache and you take a painkiller. I have better energy to face my problems and am reminded ‘not to suffer alone’.

I came to the UK for safety. I have been through a lot. Being together, playing musically with my choir friends, connects me back to the very best of my earliest memories in Angola. I didn’t have my parents because of the war. I just had my childhood friendships around me in the orphanage. I thought it was normal then, but we were pretty much on our own, just playing.

I value the love that being in the choir brings. You don’t have to speak the same language, but you can get together through music."