Easing the stress and loneliness of Christmas through song
99 views · Published 23 December 2018 · 6:50 · Indexed 3 October 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(18 Dec 2018) LEADIN: Mental health charities are warning that Christmas can be a stressful period, as well as a joyful one. One choir in north London aims to create a safe space for people affected by stress, loneliness or other mental health issues during the holiday season, and throughout the year. STORYLINE: 'Tis the season to be jolly. Christmas is a time of happiness and celebration, of singing carols and being with loved ones. But it can also be stressful and filled with anxiety. Pressure to have a "perfect Christmas", long family gatherings, spending money on presents, food and alcohol and little time to do everything, can take its toll. Mental health charities are warning that feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression can be intensified during this period and the return to routine can be hard. This is a choir run for people affected by mental health issues. It provides a safe space for people to connect with others when the going gets tough. David Phelops is the director of "More than Just a Choir". "Going back 9 years, around that time in Harrow there was a course put on for people who were actually quite seriously mentally ill, and were struggling to connect with people, struggling to even leave the house, feeling very isolated," David says. Phelops was taking part in a confidence-building course after his divorce, when someone in the group said they'd like to sing. With the encouragement of the course trainer, Phelops started the choir with a handful of others. Today "More than Just a choir" has over 55 members. Along with people who are struggling with mental health, the choir also welcomes those around them who are affected by it, such as carers and family. Brian Bovill has been coming to the choir for 7 years. "I like the choir because it helps people. It gives them something to do, it's the thing that they can do is sing. If you can speak, you can sing," he says. Brian struggled with his mental health after his divorce, where he suddenly found himself completely on his own. There's a strong association between poor mental health and family breakdown. Loneliness can exacerbate mental health issues by increasing stress levels. Over half of those experiencing anxiety or depression isolate themselves from friends and family, according to the charity Mind. Philomena Fraser joined the choir after the death of her husband three years ago. She comes to the choir to have a laugh, she says. She says "It kept me focused on the music and not problems going on in the background. So I've been really grateful for it." Christmas has been a difficult period since losing her partner. "It is a very stressful time, Christmas. It brings back too many memories of things gone past and it can really be depressing if you've got nobody to go to." Singing in public was something neither Fraser, nor fellow choir member Peter Williams thought they could do. Williams has been a member for the past 8 years. He met his partner at the choir and has managed to recover from depression in the meanwhile. "It's perhaps helped me move on to other things. So it's a kind of stepping stone," Williams says. Phelops understands that his role is not just to conduct the choir, but to run a safe space where people from different backgrounds and with different struggles can be themselves with others. His ambition is to make the choir professional and create a network of mental health choirs across the country. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/39a86607ea0815386292240a81e88a99
