Freedom of Mind Choir to sing at Falkirk Howgate wellbeing event on Valentine's Day

On Wednesday, February 14 a community wellbeing initiative takes place in the Braveheart Connections hub in the Howgate Centre.

From 10am to 2pm there will be lots on offer, including hand massage, exercise and lots of giveaways.

The Freedom of Mind Community Choir will be leading a dementia friendly drop in sing-a-long session.

Choir members are also hoping to engage local support for a new song-writing project, which is a contender for Community Choices funding, and relies on a public vote from people living in the Falkirk North ward.

Kim Edgar, co-music director and songwriter, said: “Choir members were keen to do more song-writing, but that’s not practical within our existing weekly choir sessions, so we applied for Community Choices funding in order to offer this to choir members and other local people outside of choir hours.

"If we win the public vote, we will support 36 people with experience of mental illness, isolation, loneliness or grief to take part in song-writing workshops and then share their stories in song in a waythat helps them to express themselves creatively and which moves, inspires and generates hope in listeners. We’d be most grateful for support.”

Those eligible, can fill in a paper ballot paper at any of the choirs rehearsals or performances and then post them in the ballot box at Falkirk Library – or give them to choir members to post. Alternatively, people can vote online at www.falkirk.gov.uk/ccvote.

Deadline for voting is Friday, February 23.

Read more about Community Choices on page 35.