Sing Your Heart Out

My career was very varied but latterly included working in the social housing sector and through this I became very aware of how situations can impact on someone's mental health and wellbeing. I moved to Cromer in 2016 and took part in six SYHO 'Taster Sessions', from these SYHO North (Sheringham) was started. I helped out at sessions, joined the LOG and was later invited to become a Trustee. I feel very honoured to be involved with such a great organisation and inspirational people.

I have worked in a mental health setting and I like helping people with their mental health. A friend told me about SYHO and how it helped others, I found it a lovely group and volunteered and later became a trustee. I support SYHO by helping run the sessions and promoting a safe environment where people can relax and sing while enjoying being together! SYHO is very dear to my heart!

I have been involved in a playgroup: set up and ran a Mother and toddler group, registered as a child minder, and became a school governor. I moved to mid Norfolk in 2003. Music and singing have always been a big part of my life so I went along to a SYHO outreach workshop in Wymondham. I found it so uplifting I became a regular at the South group and have remained so for over ten years. I enjoy seeing the positive effect it has on so many people, myself included. I later joined the group committee, now Local Organising Group, and when SYHO became a registered charity I was pleased to be accepted as a trustee.

I am a Chartered Accountant with a background in financial and operational management. I have worked in the UK, Cyprus, Romania and Spain and have spent 9 years on the Board of a Norwich based Housing Association, including 3 years as Chair. I joined SYHO as a Trustee in September 2022 and trust that I will be able to help develop strong financial systems and procedures for the Charity in the future

I first discovered ‘Sing Your Heart Out’ as a support volunteer for Norwich MIND and was immediately struck by the positive effect of the singing workshops on everyone’s mood, including those struggling with their mental health. I particularly appreciated SYHO’s non-judgemental, inclusive approach as well as the lovely, harmonious singing. Over the years I have become increasingly involved with SYHO’s organisation and development. It combines my interest in mental health and wellbeing with my love of singing.

My working background was in nursing initially and then social care. I am now retired and have been living in Norfolk since 2003. I started coming to SYHO workshops in Norwich during 2011, as I have always loved singing and needed to improve my mental wellbeing and socialise more. I am an ex mental health service user and credit SYHO with helping me grow and maintain the good mental health I enjoy today. As my confidence increased, I joined the then Committee for the Norwich group and took on fundraising and Secretary responsibilities. Since then, I have been encouraged to further develop my potential, culminating in becoming a Trustee in 2019 and starting to learn the Treasurer role in 2022. I have made some good friends through SYHO and it has become a big part of my life and identity.

I have been involved in SYHO from the very start in the days when it was at Hellesdon Hospital. My background is in working in health and social care, and I am a former chair of Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation trust where SYHO started.

I have been part of SYHO since it's earliest days. I have a lifetime history of mental illness, and am also on the autistic spectrum, which is probably why I am our technical person. I like SYHO because people accept me.

My career was in Education and after my retirement I was keen to become a volunteer for a local group. My particular interest has always been in wellbeing and I was introduced to SYHO by another volunteer. This was at a time when SYHO only had a group in Norwich. I joined the group as Treasurer and have enjoyed being involved in our expansion within Norfolk, and on changing our status to become a charity.