Handy Voices has been invited to be part of the RoAR Disability Youth Arts Festival in Oxford at the Art- T Centre (Ark T Centre  Crowell Road, OX4 3LN Oxford, Oxfordshire)  on 1 September 2017.  Our leader, Christine DeBlase will be running a sign singing workshop and working with the audience to find a new way of using their voice to express themselves and the music.

RoAR is a one day festival from 11am- 4pm to celebrate youth disability arts through the creative endeavours of the Arts Awards projects funded by a partnership between Oxfordshire County Council and Artswork.

The Handy Voices workshop will take place at 12:30pm.  Everyone of any age is welcome. Come and check it out.   

Further details available on their Facebook page  or  RoaR 2017_A4

The Oxford Mail published a piece on the Festival. Download that here.

Great news everyone!

Handy Voices will start back with a bang on Monday 18 September from 7:15pm at the Oxford Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre.

FREE coffee/tea/biscuits on arrival and the fun starts promptly at 7:30pm!

We are open to all levels of hearing and work to be completely inclusive.

No BSL experience needed,  just a willingness to get stuck in and give it a go!

We have members who have never signed before and members who it was their first language and preferred communication method,

Get in touch if you want more information either on the contact form on this site or on handyvoices@gmail.com

 

Last night, Tuesday 9 May 2017,  Handy Voices Signing Choir was invited to the Oxford Charity and Volunteer Action Awards.  I was there with my husband, Rand Russell to represent the team.

We were shortlisted for 2 categories, Best New Group and Innovation.  It was lovely to be in the Town Hall with about 300 people watching, hearing about our achievements from the speaker and seeing our names on the big screen,  but then they called our name and I was so shocked and surprised.  It was a great moment.  

So proud of all that Handy Voices has achieved since our inception in September 2014 when we were partnered with SongScope and then breaking out on our own from June 2015. Since that time we have gone from strength to strength and have started to make a difference in the local community. Long may that continue!  

Official photos to be put up soon, but here are a few selfies of me with the award from last night!

Handy Voices has been invited to attend the Oxfordshire Charity and Volunteer Awards as it has been nominated for an award in two categories: Best new group and Innovation.

Christine DeBlase, our choir leader will represent Handy Voices at the Award Ceremony held in the Oxford Town Hall on Tuesday 9 May 2017.   Pictures of the event will be posted as soon as possible. Wish us luck!

Yes it is has happened!

Handy Voices has moved its operations to Oxfordshire’s hub for the D/deaf community, the beautiful and historic Oxford Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre.

This centre has been in Oxford and working with the Deaf community for over 60 years and to help with our outreach, our vision and our growth, our move here was timely.

Sessions will continue to take place on:

Wednesday evenings (Term Time only)
7:15pm- 9:00pm.

Google map to venue: HERE   Look forward to welcoming you there!

Handy Voices is getting very excited as we have 6 entries in this year’s Jersey Eisteddfod (the world’s largest sign singing competition)held in St Helier, Jersey on 5 November 2016. We have been very brave and this is the first year that we have entered as Handy Voices Signing Choir into the competition with two duets, two solos and two small group pieces. It is very exciting and wish us the luck!  We are really looking forward to it!

On 20th August, a small selection of Handy Voices Signing Choir performed at the Elder Stubbs Festival to raise money for Restore. Restore is a charity which helps people with mental illness into work or meaningful activity.

The theme was ‘Under the Water’ so we did a small workshop teaching our audience the song ‘Yellow Submarine’ as well as performing the songs ‘Let it Go’, ‘A Better Place’ and ‘Imagine’.

Also, we are very excited to announce that this was Mindy and Megan’s first ever performance with us. Well done to them on their duet!

Christine and Clare talk about the aims of Handy Voices, our new theme ‘Divas’ and teach That’s Oxford TV a little bit of BSL

Great first session of the year– well done Handy Voices!  

We have chosen our theme for the year and it is DIVAS!!   This means I have chosen songs either performed or about Divas and I look forward to bringing out the inner Diva in each of the members. 

If you want to join us, term has just started!  It is a 10 week term 13 January- 23 March ( not 17 February) 2016.   It would be great to see you and join in the fun.

If you are interested in seeing what we do or would like to book us to perform, please contact us on handvoices@gmail.com.