Falkirk area care home staff launch choir to entertain residents amid pandemic

Twenty Carrondale Care Home employees recorded themselves belting out Lean On Me by Bill Withers as they performed for the first time.

The talented vocalists were approached by an English mobile video experience firm which asked if they'd take part in an episode of The Smiling Remotely Weekly Singalong Sessions.

Bosses at the Carron facility are now planning to create a choir for residents, some of whom were once opera singers.

Explaining the origins of the project, Linda Stewart, the home’s health and well-being coordinator, said: “We’ve been talking about it for a wee while.

“During Covid, it was quite a good opportunity. We had a company from down south called The Smiling Sessions contact us.

“I had their app and put in my details for something to do with VE Day. They contacted me and asked if we would be interested in recording songs as staff for all the residents.

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“They sent us the Lean On Me backing track. It was fun doing it.

“We got all the staff together and that first song wasn’t even rehearsed! It went so well.

“This is something we’ll be continuing and we’ll try to do it monthly. Last Friday I recorded three girls singing. One was a singer down in London and she came back up here during Covid.

“We’ve got a few staff who are good singers, we’re very fortunate. A few of the residents were opera singers so they’re our judges.

“The staff have loved it and so have the residents. They were getting involved as well.

“It was just what we all needed. Yvonne McCormick, who’s the deputy manager, has been saying she wanted a choir for the residents for a while so we're going to do both.”

Those who run the Beaumont Drive facility are already looking ahead to their next rehearsal, with plans now in place to cover the well-known My Generation by The Who and Ben E. King track Stand By Me.

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