We thought that our “season” 2008/2009 was a special year – celebrating our Golden Jubilee with a Massed Choir Concert in Durham Cathedral, a Formal Dinner at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, and a Celebrity Gala Concert with the Bottone family.

However, we didn’t know then that during 2012 we would have another two prestigious occasions in our Calendar.

In April 2012 most of Choir took part in a Massed Choir Concert at The Sage Gateshead, quite a thrill for most of us who hadn’t performed on that Platform before – and then in November 2012 more than half the Choir travelled to London to join in a Massed Choir and Band Concert at the Albert Hall, organised by Cancer Research UK..

This was something of a challenge for those taking part, as we normally sing with music at our Concerts, but for that occasion we were obliged to sing without music. Also, taking part in an event of this kind (with over 1,600 performers) was something we’d never experienced.

However, we managed the travelling, we managed the singing without copies, we helped Cancer Research UK to raise £160,000 from the event - and it was a great thrill to be involved in such an important and moving occasion, with so many other Choirs from up and down the British Isles, and beyond.

It was also good for us who travelled to get to know one another a little better over the weekend, and to spend a little time with like-minded people from other Choirs, from several of whom we have already received invitations to perform together - and last Septmber we held a Joint Concert with the Worcester Male Voice Choir, who were also at the Albert Hall.

The Worcester Male Voice Choir had travelled north to sing with our Choir before. In 1992, they combined with Shiney Row Male Voice Choir for a Joint Concert in Durham Cathedral, and some of those who sang with our Choir on that occasion were thrilled to meet us at The Albert Hall – hence the re-kindling of that earlier collaboration.

Also, as a spin-off from the Albert Hall Concert in 2012, we were invited to join in a similar event last November in Edinburgh, mainly for Scottish Choirs, and so a number of us travelled to Edinburgh to sing in The Usher HallSaturday 16th November in the Usher Hall, again raising funds for Cancer Research UK - this time around £37.000.