Bringing Festive Cheer to Caregivers, Partners and Friends

In December 2019, a team from CAL put up a special music performance. Performing live at both Deutsche Bank’s Christmas Charity Bazaar on 6 December and at CAL’s Charity Lunch on 7 December, the group comprised staff from CAL who were keen to bring joy and festive cheer to listeners. This round’s performance was a slight departure from the norm. In previous years, CAL’s year-end music performance was an engagement activity for caregivers, with caregiver volunteers meeting on Saturdays to practice songs. This year, the performance was done solely by staff as a tribute to caregivers. It was also used as a chance for staff bonding. Led by ‘choir mistress’ Renay Pereira, the group of three musicians and close to ten choir singers performed a series of classic songs, chosen by vote for being meaningful. Most songs had lyrics that were relevant to caregiving, and it was hoped that the songs would be inspiring to caregivers. “Top of the World” was a fast-paced and light-hearted song, chosen to reflect the high points of a caregiving journey and the love that is present throughout. “Stand by Me” was a song that expressed the way caregivers resolutely stand by their loved ones. “One Moment in Time” was chosen because of its moving melody, but the lyrics also had special meaning: on overcoming caregiving challenges and reaching a state of resilience and well-being, caregivers might realise that there is significance in the line “when I’m more than I thought I could be”. To Renay, an Outreach Manager at CAL, one of the best things about the music performance was receiving feedback from members of the team that it had been so much fun taking part. She found it apt that in bringing joy to others, those contributing had been able to bolster their own sense of well-being. Some members of the music group were staff that only recently joined CAL. Chen Xinru, a counsellor running C2C classes, shared that the experience of overcoming hiccups and differing opinions to reach a common goal was meaningful. She found that the best thing about the music performance was the teamwork, and noted that the time spent together helped her to bond with other colleagues, by facilitating casual conversations which allowed her to get to know them better at a personal level outside of work. Bryan Lock, a new staff based at CAL’s HQ, shared that the experience helped him discover his love for singing, and that the music practice sessions enabled him to get a better sense of his colleagues’ personalities in a more relaxed setting. The music performance was successful in being able to add to the festivities of the Deutsche Bank Christmas Charity Bazaar, and it was a well-received performance item at the Charity Lunch. Look out for more merry music making coming up this year in December 2020, and let us know if this activity strikes a chord with you. You could well be part of the next performance!