small park BIG RUN / BIG SING
Dear choir members,
This is a message of huge appreciation from us, as organisers, to you and your choir for your involvement and support to this year's small park BIG SING. The weather was completely opposite to last year and we managed to pull a huge crowd who stood very patiently in the hot sun for nearly 2 hours as we worked through rehearsals, the link to Gaza and then our own singing. But we think everyone there found the event incredibly moving. Here are a few photos to give a flavour of what took place:
This is a message of huge appreciation from us, as organisers, to you and your choir for your involvement and support to this year's small park BIG SING. The weather was completely opposite to last year and we managed to pull a huge crowd who stood very patiently in the hot sun for nearly 2 hours as we worked through rehearsals, the link to Gaza and then our own singing. But we think everyone there found the event incredibly moving. Here are a few photos to give a flavour of what took place:
We took a gamble this year in going for 3 songs, with “Together for Palestine – Lullaby” being completely new to choirs. But thanks to all the efforts choirs made to practice in advance, the sound was magnificent. It was particularly heartening that the group of children and youth workers in Gaza to whom we were singing could obviously hear us and clapped and waved their appreciation.
Even more moving was then being able to hear part of their efforts to sing to us. They also shared a mini play they’d created for us that told the tale of the fact that although they missed the taste of chocolate, the scent of roses etc they were still clinging to their memories of these things and would continue to dream that such things would come again. This reflected so poignantly the therapeutic work that youth workers of our partner organisation, “Never stop dreaming”, are doing with their young people to help them keep going.
We invested a lot more funds this year in providing this direct link to the partners we support. But we think everyone there on Sunday agreed that it made the feeling of connection and solidarity so much more powerful.
Thank you again for all you did to support your choir in taking part and we’d be grateful if you could pass our thanks on to your choir members themselves. Please also ask everyone to make a note of next year’s date in their diaries:
Sunday 20th June 2027
Though things are beginning to shift in Gaza, the need for continued support is likely to continue for a long time. smallparkBIGRUN celebrated it’s 10th anniversary this year. We may have to keep going for another 10. But as the links get stronger each year, the sense of being part of a family of solidarity also increases. We can’t turn away now!
Yours in song,
Diana and Kath
(BIG SING co-ordinators within small park BIGRUN planning group)
Even more moving was then being able to hear part of their efforts to sing to us. They also shared a mini play they’d created for us that told the tale of the fact that although they missed the taste of chocolate, the scent of roses etc they were still clinging to their memories of these things and would continue to dream that such things would come again. This reflected so poignantly the therapeutic work that youth workers of our partner organisation, “Never stop dreaming”, are doing with their young people to help them keep going.
We invested a lot more funds this year in providing this direct link to the partners we support. But we think everyone there on Sunday agreed that it made the feeling of connection and solidarity so much more powerful.
Thank you again for all you did to support your choir in taking part and we’d be grateful if you could pass our thanks on to your choir members themselves. Please also ask everyone to make a note of next year’s date in their diaries:
Sunday 20th June 2027
Though things are beginning to shift in Gaza, the need for continued support is likely to continue for a long time. smallparkBIGRUN celebrated it’s 10th anniversary this year. We may have to keep going for another 10. But as the links get stronger each year, the sense of being part of a family of solidarity also increases. We can’t turn away now!
Yours in song,
Diana and Kath
(BIG SING co-ordinators within small park BIGRUN planning group)
June 2023
Six choirs and members of the public came together to sing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' to celebrate Small Park, Big Run - 24 hours of continuous running around Meersbrook Park in aid of women's education and the Khuzaa children's healing project project in Gaza, Palestine.
Six choirs and members of the public came together to sing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' to celebrate Small Park, Big Run - 24 hours of continuous running around Meersbrook Park in aid of women's education and the Khuzaa children's healing project project in Gaza, Palestine.