Wallasey Choir celebrating tenth anniversary with concert at St Nicholas Church

Sep 21 2011 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

THE Wallasey Choir is marking a very special anniversary next week with a concert at St Nicholas Church in Wallasey.

The choir was originally the Wallasey Girls Choir when it started as a school choir in 1966 but the performance on Friday, September 30, will mark 10 years under its current name.

It was founded by Beryl Beckingham, who was head of music at the former Wallasey Technical High School, which later became Oxley School and then Wallasey School after a merger with Henry Meols School.

The choir has toured all over the world with performances on concert tours and in competitions and supports charities like St John’s Hospice and Claire House.

The choir’s Gill Peckham said: “Ten years ago Beryl died and it was like one of the family had gone. We didn’t think we could continue without her but decided that all her hard work was too precious to let go.

“Our pianist Peter Mills, who had at that time been with us for 20 years and wrote many of the arrangements for the choir, said he would take on the role of musical director.

“Peter has been fantastic. He is a real leader.”

The anniversary concert will include pieces performed over the years. There will also be a performance by Western Approaches, a group from the choir who sing songs from the days of the Andrews Sisters.

The concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 from Usher Travel in Liscard and include refreshments.