The staff of the Medical Assessment Unit (MAU), at the Royal Derby Hospital would like to express their thanks to the Derby Hospitals Choir for choosing to make them the beneficiary of their 2013 Christmas Concert.
MAU consists of 51 acute medical beds where patients from Derby and the surrounding areas are admitted throughout the day and night from either Accident and Emergency or GP directives. These patients undergo treatment for many different medical conditions, i.e. stroke, respiratory problems, heart conditions, diabetic problems, cancers and infections to name but a few. Almost everyone within Derby and the surrounding area will have either received or know of someone who has had treatment in this extremely busy unit.
Patients generally only stay for a short time in the unit, until they are either transferred to a ward or are discharged home. Unfortunately, some patients will be terminally ill or be diagnosed with a serious medical condition. At such times a room in the unit is used by patients and their relatives as sensitive information and special needs are discussed with the doctor. Relatives may also use this room as a quiet retreat.
However, staff feel that the room currently used in these circumstances could benefit from a sympathetic makeover. They aspire to improve the room’s ambiance and provide a more relaxing place for both patients and their relatives in times of stress.
This year the Derby Hospitals Choir is supporting the staff of the Derby Royal Medical Assessment Unit, raising money to make improvements to a room on the unit where both privacy and dignity can be afforded to patients and relatives at such difficult times.
Photo shows Chairman Gill O’Halloran handing over a cheque for £10,000 to Dr Gillian Lowery, Consultant Respiratory Physician Derby Royal Hospital.
Funds raised by the Derby Hospitals Choir 30th Anniversary Christmas Concert, 2012.
Below, chairman Gill O’Halloran is seen handing over a cheque for £236 to Gay Evans, Community Fundraiser for Treetops Hospice. Proceeds generated by the concert in St John’s Church, December 2012.
I am very proud to report another fantastic year for the Derby Hospitals Choir with the 2012, 30th Anniversary Christmas Concert being an amazing success, attracting a full house at the Derby Assembly Rooms. We were privileged to have Charles Hanson perform the duties of guest compere and his unique sense of fun gave a new dimension to our concert. I am delighted to report that Charles has agreed to join us again this year.
Once again, the most important thing to say in my report is a huge thank you and well done to everyone involved in this remarkable success. Due to the refurbishment of the Broadway Baptist Church, rehearsals this year had to be held in the church hall. Although this did prove rather difficult we managed to rise above adversity and succeeded in performing our best concert ever! In terms of funds raised for the Royal Derby Hospital Respiratory Unit, we should all be very proud of raising the record sum of £10,000 – the team from the RDRU was overwhelmed when they learned of the amount involved. I should at this stage say a particular thank you to Marjorie Tucker and Margaret Lane for their donations in memory of their dear late husbands, Ken and John respectively, both of whom had received marvellous care from the RDRU. This year’s concert was dedicated to their memory and so it is fitting that feedback received from those who attended the concert showed it to be the most widely enjoyed performance to date; they would have been proud of us!
The Florence Nightingale memorial service was my first formal engagement as Musical Director with the Derby Hospitals Choir – and what a splendid introduction.
We sang Mozart’s ”Ave Verum” (in English), Rutter’s setting of “All things Bright & Beautiful” and an unaccompanied arrangement of “Non Nobis Domine” (attributed to Byrd). I was delighted with how well the choir sang all three pieces, with good phrasing, light and shade in the dynamics and attention to detail – supported of course by the wonderful acoustics of the building and Peter Gould’s effortless accompaniment. Two of the three hymns had descants written specially for the occasion and these soared beautifully over the congregation, particularly when coupled with the ending choral harmonies in “Thy Hand O God has Guided”. Approximately 50 members of the choir were able to sing on the day, and all seemed to have their eyes glued on me throughout. Well done – you have set a high standard for the full choir to follow this Autumn!
Rehearsals for the Florence Nightingale Service:
Wednesday 1st May at Broadway Baptist’s Church 7 30pm
Wednesday 8th May at Broadway Baptist’s Church 7 30pm
Wednesday 15th May at Broadway Baptist’s Church 7 30pm
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE COMMEMORATIVE SERVICE – DERBY CATHEDRAL
18th MAY 2013 11.00am
Florence Nightingale’s birthday occurs on 12th May which is also the start of International Nursing Week and the service incorporates both events. The service will be preceded by a procession starting from St. Peter’s Church, passing through the City centre and then on to the Cathedral. Nurses and health care practitioners from both the Derby Hospitals Trust and the community at large will be led by a marching band, and members of the choir will join the procession at the Cathedral entrance.
The service will be attended by Derbyshire’s dignitaries, Lord Lieutenant, High Sheriff, Mayor etc., and there will be high profile speakers from within the caring profession.
The choir will be singing three pieces and there will be three congregational hymns. The choir’s pieces are
1 Anthem – Ave Verum (Mozart) Jesu Word of God
2 Anthem – All things Bright & Beautiful (John Rutter)
3 Introit – Non Nobis Domine (Anon./Byrd)
The Service starts at 11.00 am. The Choir will wear usual attire:
GENERAL INFORMATION AND TIMINGS
9.15 Arrive at Cathedral and deposit coats, bags etc in Beddows Room
9.30 Go upstairs to the Retro Choir stalls to be allocated your seat
9.40 Practicing processing out and in to the Cathedral to ensure we are foot perfect.
10.00 Rehearsal of our three pieces with accompaniment from Peter Gould, Master of Music at the Cathedral.
10.30 Return to the Beddows Room for a comfort break
10.50 Congregate at the East door of the Cathedral. We shall not be processing through the town and will meet the procession as they arrive at the Cathedral. The choir will “fall in” behind the cross and lights and in front of the band to lead the procession into the cathedral.
The service begins at 11.00 am sharp and will last for one hour. When the service has finished, the Choir will lead out of the Cathedral and walk around back to the East Door thereby avoiding blocking the main entrance.