By ๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ย ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐-๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ฎ๐ญ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐, ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ค ๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ
๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐-๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ฎ๐ญ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐, ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ค ๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐จ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ.
It was a sad and sorry sight when clubhouses, theatres and church halls were mothballed during the lockdown. Places that once buzzed with activity sat empty; the groups who once occupied them hit for six by social distancing rules.
But weโre glad to see many sports clubs are up and running again โ albeit with fewer volunteers and a long list of new health and safety rules to follow.
And weโre keeping our fingers crossed that choirs and am-dram groups will be able to meet in person again soon. Here are three reasons why these groups are so crucial to local communities and why we all should support them.
They help battle the bulge
In a perfect world, we all would have emerged from lockdown with guns like Serena Williams and buns like Joe Wicks. But for many of us (excuse us while we cough sheepishly), it didnโt happen. We ate more and exercised less.
The trend was particularly startling among young people. A study* of children and teens in Verona, Italy, found that during lockdown they ate more (an additional meal per day), slept more and spent an extra five hours a day on screens. The only thing that decreased was physical activity โ down by more than two hours per week.
Grassroots sports clubs play an essential role in the physical well-being of the nation. In the UK there are 150,000 sports clubs with eight million regular participants. They help build social bonds and play a vital role in the fight against obesity.
Cultural contribution
Some people are snobbish about amateur dramatics, but weโre not too proud to say we find Widow Twankey swanky.
Am-dram brings people together and makes theatre accessible and affordable to all. Many peopleโs introduction to the theatre will come via a trip to their local panto.
There are about 2,500 am-dram groups associated with the National Operatic and Dramatic Association and many more smaller community arts groups in the UK. They deserve our support.
As well as providing entertainment, they help many people develop their artistic talents. Some like Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ben Kingsley and Keira Knightley go on to become household names. Those who donโt wind up in the West End or Hollywood still gain confidence and social skills.
Many am-dram groups are yet to return to in-person rehearsals, leading us to wonder if weโll get to enjoy a panto this Christmas. Weโd love the answer to be โYes we will!โ but in truth, itโs probably too early to say.
Mental health boost
Research published by the Royal Society found that singing improves mental health and well-being. This is because when we sing, feelgood hormones called endorphins and the โcuddle hormoneโ oxytocin are released.
About 2.14 million people regularly sing in choirs, and there are about 40,000 singing groups in the UK (pre-lockdown figures from the Voices Now charity). All have been hit hard by the pandemic.
Thankfully, many have continued to meet virtually during the pandemic, and we look forward to the day when they can return to live performing.
Here are three simple ways you can support local groups.
1) Help promote local sports groups and teams online by giving them a mention on social media.
2) Commit to buying a ticket for the first round of your local drama groupโs performances when showtime comes around again.
3) Get involved. One thing Covid-19 has taught us all is that life is precious, and this isnโt a dress rehearsal or a warm-up. Why not volunteer to coach at a local sports club or to help out at a local theatre, choir, or art group?
Here at Oliver James, weโre proud to be part of the local community. Weโre here to help and support during these difficult times.
Tag your favourite local sports club or community culture group in the comments below and tell the world why you love what they do.
*Study by the University at Buffalo, New York.
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