We plan to raise money for Save The Children on the evening of Friday 20 Dec, somewhere near Waterloo Station. I was hoping we might get inside, but it seems that's not an option this year. We'll update the location when I've done some research. Afterwards, Rob and Sheila Day will be hosting a party at their house in Putney, to which everyone who sings at the event is invited. If you wish to attend, you need to message Rob on Telegram to let him know you're planning to come.

We'll be singing in Canada Water Station from about 5:30pm to raise money for Health Poverty Action as part of their Choirs for Change programme. We'll probably be in the large ticket hall.

Try to arrive about ten minutes beforehand.

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Dress warm and christmassy!

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We've been asked to perform at Christmas In Chelsea on Tuesday 17 Dec. This is taking place in the gardens of the Royal Hospital (Chelsea Flower Show). There is a 1KM light trail, festive food and drink, an artisan market, workshops, and entertainment. We are the entertainment. The performances will take place within a heated tipi, and there will be two 30-minute performances at 6pm and 7pm.

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In addition, you can bring one guest for free. They will just have to say they are your guest at the entrance.

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CONCERT DETAILS

Address: St Mary’s London, York Street, London, W1H 1PQ

Matinee concert time: 4pm - 5:30pm  

Evening concert time: 7:30pm - 9:00pm 

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ARRIVAL

• Entrance and Check-in: Use the main entrance of the building in the plaza, but keep an eye on Telegram for any updates. There may be a short wait as everyone checks in, gives their name, and receives a wristband.

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For the Matinee Concert

• Arrival: Please arrive as close to 2pm as possible, ready for a 2:30pm soundcheck, ideally already in your concert outfit. Do not bring guests at this time—they won’t be allowed in yet.
• Soundcheck (2:30-3:30pm): Soundcheck will start at 2:30pm and run until 3:30pm. If you arrive during soundcheck, please quietly find your place on stage. The soundcheck is mainly for us and the sound engineers to adjust mic and track levels, so there may be moments when volumes are uneven as we fine-tune everything.
• Concert End Time: The concert will finish around 5:30pm.

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For the Evening Concert

• Arrival: Please arrive as close to 6:30pm as possible, ideally already in your concert outfit. Do not bring guests at this time—they won’t be allowed in yet.
• Soundcheck (6:30-7:00pm): Soundcheck will start at 6:30pm and run until 7:00pm. If you arrive during soundcheck, please quietly find your place on stage. This soundcheck is more for us to slot in the people who weren’t there in the afternoon, and for the sound engineers to adjust mic and track levels, so there may be moments when volumes are uneven as we fine-tune everything.
• Concert End Time: The concert will finish around 9:00pm.

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WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE RUNNING LATE OR CAN NO LONGER MAKE IT‍

If you're running late or can’t make it on the day, please don’t message us—we need to keep Telegram clear for urgent updates. If you’re running late - just head to the venue when you can and follow the instructions above. And if you can no longer attend - please know that we understand life throws unexpected curveballs sometimes. We hope everything is alright, and we'll catch up with you in the new term!

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STANDING ON STAGE

For our Christmas concerts, there’s no set standing plan. You’ll be standing together in your parts, with taller people toward the back and shorter people at the front. Take a look around and, if you notice someone shorter behind you, consider moving back a row so everyone has a clear view. Our goal is for everyone to see me and Ben—and for your guests to see you!

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WHERE TO PUT YOUR BAGS

We will have a ‘backstage area’ downstairs with plenty of room for everyone and their belongings. Please try to bring as little as possible, though. The room is also fully accessible.

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WHAT TO DO WITH GUESTS BEFORE THE CONCERT

Please come to the soundcheck without guests, as they won’t be allowed in. There are plenty of nearby spots around St. Mary’s for them to hang out before the show! If they can't wait alone (e.g., due to caring responsibilities), feel free to arrive 30 minutes before the performance when doors open

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SEEING YOUR MUSIC

Feel free to use either printed sheets in a black folder (NO loose sheets) or a tablet with a black case—both work great! Just make sure you can see your music clearly, as lighting may be dim at times (but perfect for the audience!). If you’re using a folder, a clip-on book light is ideal—just no head torches or lights facing the audience. And remember, don’t fold over your folder to keep those white sheets hidden for a nice, clean look on stage!

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USING THE CHOIR APP

If you're using the Choir App during the concert, please ‘Enable Concert Mode’ to prevent accidental playback. To do this, click the 3-dot menu in the top right corner of the Current Term playlist.

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WHAT TO TAKE ON STAGE

Please bring your music and a water bottle (if you'd like) on stage. If you have accessibility requirements and need to sit during the performance, contact Kate before concert day. Chairs can’t be on stage for safety, but we can place them on the side for you.

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EQUIPMENT

Please be mindful of the equipment on and around the stage. There may be cables, stands, and other gear, so keep an eye out as you move to avoid accidental damage and to ensure your own safety.

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OUTFITS

The dress code is "All Your Finery"! Imagine you're giving a speech at the BAFTAs—think gowns, sparkles, waistcoats—those special items you rarely get to wear. Bonus points if your outfit features LCV colours, but it's not required. No need to buy something new—the Telegram wibble is perfect for outfit ideas and sharing items. Or, charity shops and apps like Vinted are great options if you do want to treat yourself!

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DRINKING
Feel free to have a drink before the concert or between performances if you’re doing both, but please don't go overboard. DO NOT GET HAMMERED BEFORE OR DURING THE CONCERT. We need you sober! One drink might help you sing better, several will not! You can of course take water onstage with you.

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AFTER PARTY

We haven’t found a venue nearby that can accommodate all of us for an after-party, so we’ll probably end up splitting into a few local bars. We’ll let you know if this changes but keep an eye on Telegram throughout the day for updates on where groups are gathering. Current favourites are the Globe, opposite 

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TICKET EXCHANGE GROUP

If you or your guests no longer need your tickets, please follow the procedure on TryBooking to request a refund. I'll then notify the next person on the list and offer them the chance to purchase those tickets.

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If you're still looking for tickets, we've set up two Telegram groups for extra tickets for each concert. Instructions on how to request tickets are in the group—please follow them carefully.

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• Please join this group if you need tickets for the Matinee Concert.
• Please join this group if you need tickets for the Evening Concert.

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VENUE ACCESSIBILITY

St Mary’s London is fully accessible with step-free access throughout the venue, with the exception of the balconies. 

For more information about the venue accessibility, please visit St Mary’s website or contact them directly

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LIVE STREAM
We will be live streaming the concert. For those of you with relatives and friends who would like to watch from afar, the best way to access the live stream is to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. They will then get a notification and a link when we go live. 

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AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
We’re going to use the chorus of “All You Need Is Love” for this, so you don’t need any lyrics printed. The main lyrics are:

All you need is love

All you need is love

All you need is love, love

Love is all you need

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There will be the odd “ooo” and “da da da da daaa” as well, depending on your part.

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SONGS AND RUNNING ORDER (order is subject to change, but this is the current thinking)
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Christmas Is All Around

Bye Bye Baby

White Christmas

Songbird

Puppy Love

O Holy Night

CHARITY PRESENTATION

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

Jump

Both Sides Now

Festival Of Carols

All I Want For Christmas

God Only Knows

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VIDEOS/PHOTOS‍

As always, the concert will be filmed and photographed. By taking part in the concert you are giving your consent to your image being used in our promotional and marketing materials. There isn't the space or time for a photo-booth in this venue, so make sure you get lots of selfies with your friends.

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LOST PROPERTY

If you leave anything at St Mary’s, they will hopefully hold onto it for you to collect as soon as possible. Please call them on 020 7258 5040, or email  contact@stmaryslondon.com

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CHARITY

The Listening Place: Suicide Prevention Charity

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TOWER OF LONDON

Times: 2-2:30pm (location 6) and 3.30-4pm (location 5)

1. WHITE TOWER STAGE

2. THE NEW ARMOURIES (Green Rooms)

3. MIDDLE DRAWBRIDGE

4. PRODUCTION DESK (Not actually under water as per the map)

5. WHARF STAGE EAST

6. WHARF STAGE WEST

7. EAST GATE ENTRANCE

8. WEST GATE ENTRANCE

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Those of you who have purchased a wristband for the Tower, please meet Richard at 12:30pm at location 3 on the map. If you can't make that time, you'll need to message on the Telegram wibble group to say when you arrive, and I'll try and find you. Obviously I can't do this during our performances, but I'd expect you to be singing during those. Our final performance is 3:30pm, so you'll need to be there and have collected your wristband before then.

We have performed as part of this MD Brunch event several times now, and it's always great fun. It's a real privilege to perform at such an iconic venue. And it's a great chance to practise many of the songs for our own concert.

Repertoire will be from the songs we've been practising this term, definitely Festival of Carols, not sure which others yet.

There will be several choirs performing at different times offering a huge range of music and styles.

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We have been given two performance times (2pm and 3.30pm) of 25 minutes. These are both on the Wharf which is open to the public, so you can get your friends and family to come along and watch if you like.  

NB - like last year, we're not actually singing in the Tower grounds, but on the Wharf, which is a much better place to perform.

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Dress warm, feel free to accessorise with antlers, red noses etc! No need for LCV colours when we're all wrapped up in coats and scarves!

WILD MEADOWS

nr Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28 2PH

What3Words: strumming-jumbled-glorified

9-11 August (actually runs from 5-12 August)

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Wild Meadows is a new festival by the team behind Secret Garden Party. It takes place in the same venue but is more geared towards families. There are lots of activities to keep children occupied, and also plenty for adults to do.

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You can find out more about the festival here

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TO TAKE PART

The organisers have offered us a fantastic deal - come and help us lead a couple of singalongs and you can have a free ticket to the whole event. We'll only be there from Friday to Sunday, but you can go for the whole week if you want to. If lots of you sign up we may have enough to do an impromptu LCV performance too!

They've also offered us 50% off on friends and family tickets, which is a really good deal. This applies to either the whole week or the weekend, so if you want to take your family camping for a week, this seems like a really good way to do it.

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CHICKENSTOCK

Norton Green Farm, Stockbury, Kent ME9 7RN

2-4 August (actually opens on Thursday 1 August)

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This is a lovely boutique music festival. Situated near Sittingbourne in Kent, it's really close to London so should be nice and easy to get to.

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We're singing at the entrance to the arena as it opens on Friday and Sunday morning to welcome everyone in. In addition, Richard is running a Think You Can't Sing workshop on Saturday afternoon and a Scratch Choir on Sunday afternoon, so please do stay for those if you can.

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You can find out more about the festival here

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TO TAKE PART

Please fill in the form below if you'd like to take part. You'll get a free ticket for the day you sing, and if you do both days you'll get a free ticket for the whole weekend.

If you'd like to bring friends and family, you can use the code CS24LVC (note the letters are the wrong way around!) for 50% off tickets. This should also work if you want to purchase a camping pitch.

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SET LIST (in no particular order)

Shine

Happy Together

Toxic

Overload

Video Killed The Radio Star

Don't Go Breaking My Heart

Fix You

There She Goes

90s Mashup

Murder On The Dancefloor

Summer Breeze

You Raise Me Up

Sound Of The Underground

Here Comes The Sun

Bad Day

Black Magic

I Don't Feel Like Dancing

Spice Up Your Life

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Week 1: 02-09 June 2024

Week 2: 09-16 June 2024

Both weeks: 02-16 June 2024 (Sunday to Sunday)

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After many enjoyable and successful holidays, we are thrilled to be returning to Greece in 2024. This will be our eighth year on the wonderful island of Spetses.

As before, we’ll begin and end the trip on a Sunday. You can come for the first week, the second week, or both.

Important notes

We plan to go ahead with this trip unless the UK Foreign Office and Greek government restrict or strongly recommend us not to travel to our stated destinations.

We strongly recommend you take out travel insurance and check for COVID cover. Should you wish to cancel, cancellation charges will apply (see the cancellation charges table below).

Please read Greece’s entry requirements, particularly the validity required for a British passport: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece/entry-requirements

A SNAPSHOT OF THE HOLIDAY

This holiday is very different from our weekend trips. It offers plenty of relaxation time, lots of singing, friendly locals, optional excursions and events, great food and culture, and even opportunities for a boogie.

A typical day starts with a leisurely breakfast at your accommodation. Late morning, we hold a rehearsal in the villa gardens, learning songs that have been specially arranged for the holiday. After the rehearsal your time is your own to explore the island, enjoy a relaxing lunch, laze by the pool or head to the beach. In the evening we may meet up to go for dinner together or in smaller groups, as you wish. We usually end the day in one of the island’s excellent bars.

At the end of each week there will be a performance – either formal or informal – to the public on the island.

The holiday is open to non-choir members as well as existing or past members

There is no need to be an active member of London City Voices to join us. We have had several non-LCV members come along, immerse themselves in the friendly environment, idyllic location and really enjoy it.

Please note: this holiday is not suitable for children. There are no crèche facilities and the activities are very much based around adults.

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THINGS TO DO ON SPETSES

As in previous years, these are just some of the activities we enjoy on Spetses:

Chartering a private boat to travel around the island for a day. We stop for a swim in a quiet, sheltered spot, followed by a rehearsal either on the boat or on the shore. We then stop at a restaurant for a leisurely lunch (overlooking a lovely bay) before completing the trip back at the old harbour. This is a very popular day trip and allows you to see the whole island at a very relaxed pace and from a different perspective.

Bicycle, motorbike or quad bike hire is a great way to take in the beautiful coast and island. You can cycle around the whole island in a matter of hours, and if you don’t fancy the hills there’s always the option of an electric bike.

Villa party. On one evening of each week we hold a party in the villa gardens with delicious food from local caterers (sadly, no swimming or pool activities permitted during this event). The evening concludes with an open mic and a good boogie.

Yoga and therapy treatments are generally available with a local professional whom we’ve used for all of our years on Spetses. She offers yoga at the villa exclusively to our group, as well as private treatments including massage, Reiki, meditative reflexology, breath and sound healing and more.

Gym & spa. The island’s iconic grand hotel, The Posidonion, offers a gym and spa for anyone looking to work out or be pampered. It’s in the main town 15 minutes’ walk from our accommodation.

Other possible activities include tennis, horse riding, snorkelling and, of course, watersports.

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ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

You have the choice of two Spetses accommodations (subject to availability). We have used both of these for all of our previous trips.

The properties are about a minute’s walk from each other, so they are very close. Both properties are walking distance to the beach and the charming old harbour which has a variety of restaurants and bars. The main resort centre is a pleasant 15-minute walk away and where you’ll find many shops, bars, cafes and restaurants. Each year we discover somewhere new.

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Villa

We have exclusive use of a traditional Spetses villa with large gardens and a swimming pool. Its beautiful olive tree is perfect for relaxing in the shade, and this is where we hold our daily rehearsals.

The villa offers several twin/double rooms which each have their own shower room, fridge, television, air conditioning. Many of them alsohave a balcony or terrace. There is also one triple room.

There is no communal space other than the gardens, and there are no cooking facilities.

Note: A maximum of 4 rooms at the villa are available for sole occupancy (at the sole occupancy package rate) each week.

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Hotel

We also have a charming boutique hotel option. It’s about a minute’s walk from the villa. This offers a pretty, shaded courtyard and family-run hospitality. It does not have a pool and has only limited outdoor space, although man of the rooms have a balcony/terrace. However, if you stay at the hotel you are welcome to enjoy all of the villa’s facilities.

There are two x 2-bedroom apartments available at the hotel which can sleep up to four people.

Note: Some rooms at the hotel are available for sole occupancy(at the sole occupancy package rate) each week.

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Athens stays (pre-/post-Spetses)

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You may like to experience a night or two in this interesting, historically-rich city. We have a group booking at a centrally located 3-star hotel, which we’ve successfully used for the previous five years.

The hotel is in the centre of Athens, just a few minutes’ walk from Monastiraki Square (a hive of activity), with Plaka and Syntagma Square a little further. All the major sights are walking distance away.

The hotel has an amazing rooftop terrace with a 360-degree view of the city, and the sight of the Acropolis at night is especially stunning.

If you would like a higher star rating, or would simply prefer something different, we can help and book this for you.

A pre-Spetses overnight stay in Athens also means you can avoid the very early UK departure required on your outbound journey (see below).

Our 3-star hotel rates are as follows (includes breakfast):

Sole occupancy        £92 per night

Twin/double              £53pp, per night

There is also a Greek government tax for Athens of €1.50 per room per night. This is paid on arrival at the hotel.

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TRAVEL

UK TO ATHENS

You are responsible for booking your own flights to and from Athens. See Flights section below for some useful links.

Early flight: If you plan to travel from the UK on 02 or 09 June you will need to book a very early morning flight as you need to arrive in Athens by 1pm on the day of our departure to Spetses. Obviously, if you are spending a day or two in Athens before heading off to Spetses, this isn’t an issue.

ATHENS TO SPETSES

To get from Athens to Spetses we hire a private coach which takes us to Kosta, a port town at the bottom of the Peloponnese. From there it’s a 15-minute boat trip to Spetses, arriving early evening. There are no toilet facilities on the coach but we do include a short comfort stop somewhere along the way. It is vice versa for the return journey – boat from Spetses to Kosta, coach from Kosta to Athens airport.

The two departure points and times for the coach are (subject to change): Athens city (for those staying in central Athens the previous night) - departing at around 1pm, or Athens airport (for those flying in on that day) - departing around 2pm

On arrival in Spetses we can take taxis up to our accommodation, or it’s a 15-minute walk if you know the way. If you choose to walk, your luggage will be taken up to your accommodation for you. Then you can check in, freshen up and simply relax, or – as many of the group normally do – wander into the town to find some dinner.

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ALTERNATIVE TRAVEL ATHENS TO SPETSES – BY SEA

Anyone who wishes to travel by sea can take the ferry from Athens’ Piraeus port to Spetses. Piraeus is around 40 minutes from the city and around 50 minutes from Athens airport. This journey would mean travelling independently from the group and possibly on your own. The sea crossing takes around 3 hours each way and an extra cost would apply, as this method of transport is not with the group and therefore involves extra transfers to/from Piraeus from either the airport or the city, plus a ferry ticket, which you can arrange and pay for yourself (or John can do that for you). All being well and depending on your Athens airport arrival time on the Sunday of each week, it is possible to arrive on Spetses at a similar time to the coach group. Summer ferry schedules and reservations are generally released around March, so extra costs for this option will be calculated around this time.

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FLIGHTS

Currently, there are several airlines operating direct flights between London and Athens.

OUTBOUND ON 02 OR 09 JUNE 2024

IMPORTANT: Your flight into Athens on 02 or 09 June must arrive no later than 1300 as the coach is due to depart the airport at 1400.

There will be an earlier pick-up from Athens city (as mentioned above) for people staying in Athens beforehand. Currently, these two airlines offer flights that arrive before 1300 on both 02 and 09 June 2024:

British Airways (Heathrow)

EasyJet (Gatwick)

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RETURNING ON 09 OR 16 JUNE 2024

Please book an evening flight – from 1900 onwards – on 09 or 16 June as there will only be one coach journey back to Athens. Currently, these airlines offer departures from Athens to London after 1900 on 09 and 16 June 2024:

British Airways (Heathrow)

Aegean Air (Heathrow)

Easyjet (Gatwick)

WizzAir (Luton)

RyanAir (Stansted)

Unless you’re extending your time in Greece, please be mindful of the airline and times you book.

PACKAGE COST

In summary this includes: Spetses accommodation with breakfast, transfers, short ferry and Greek government taxes. Full inclusion/non-inclusion details are stated further below:

Your balance/full payment will be required by: 17 March 2024 (for 02-09 June or two-week bookings) or 24 March 2024 (09-16 June bookings).

Greek government tax for Spetses has been included in the above costs. This was previously a small extra cost to pay on arrival.

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Package cost includes (subject to availability):

7 or 14 nights’ accommodation on Spetses on a bed & breakfast basis.

Private coach travel from either Athens airport or the city (pick-up from our 3-star Athens hotel) to Kosta (Peloponnese) and vice versa. These journeys will include a comfort stop somewhere in each direction.

Short ferry crossings (15 minutes each way) from Kosta to Spetses and back to Kosta, along with transfers to/from your Spetses accommodation, if required.

Singing and teaching time on the holiday. This includes up to 90 minutes’ group rehearsal each day (subject to change), learning new songs that have been specially prepared for this holiday. The second week may have some new repertoire but may also repeat some of the songs from the first week.

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Package cost does NOT include:

Flights to/fromAthens

Extra night(s)in Athens

Travel insurance (strongly recommended and – if possible – including Covid cover)

Lunch, dinner, other meals and drinks

Additional organised tours/events

Cancellation charges

Please take out appropriate travel insurance to cover you in case of personal cancellation and check for Covid cover, if possible.

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BOOKING

To make a booking for Greece 2024 we require a non-refundable £100 deposit per person.

We recommend you book your place as soon as possible as this holiday is already proving very popular.

Please note the cancellation charges listed above in the event you need to cancel.

Extension of holiday after confirmation:

If you decide to extend your singing holiday dates, especially once you’re out in Greece, we ask you to book and pay for any change or extension via LCV Travel and not to make any arrangements individually with our accommodation providers as we have agreements in place and confirmed allocation. This is an activity-based holiday and costs must be factored in accordingly.

Please do check with John in advance for any extensions toor deviations from the stated package.

If you are interested in joining our trip to Spetses or have any questions, please contact John Joannou (not Richard) on:

Tel:     07763 120452 or

Email: johnjoannou@live.co.uk

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A word from one of our regulars, Annie...

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What to expect in Spetses

I’ve been lucky enough to go to Spetses with LCV since 2017.  Here are a few tips on what to expect, so you can decide if it’s the holiday for you...

Accommodation:

Rooms in both Villa Irini and Hotel Mimosa are typically Greek, with simple furnishings and tiled floors. All rooms have air-conditioning and a full-size fridge. Kettles and irons are not provided, so bring travel ones if you can't do without a cuppa or a crisp shirt. Bathrooms are small but functional with a shower, and they all have a hairdryer.  Towels are provided but bring a beach towel for pool/boat/beach time - you can buy great 'compact' microfibre ones in the UK, or local shops sell traditional Greek cotton towels.

Breakfast:

Breakfast is included at both the Villa and theHotel.  At the Villa, breakfast is around the pool, under the olive trees, and includes hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, fruit, yoghurt, bread and cheese.  The breakfast at the hotel is similar but has a wider range of fruit, breads and jams.   Note that there's no communal indoor space at either the Villa or the Hotel, and no kitchen facilities.

Rehearsals:

Rehearsals are every morning, usually from around 11 to 1, outdoors at the Villa under the lemon trees. It's a beautiful place tosing, but bring a hat, sunscreen and insect repellent (the short grass can hide biting insects).

Lunch:

Many people buy supplies and eat a picnic lunch in the garden of the Villa, at the large picnic tables or on the small terraces outside ground floor rooms.  There's a supermarket 5 minutes' walk away that stocks a wide range of fresh food, wines, beers, soft drinks and water as well as household goods, from shampoo and suntan lotion to flip flops and pool inflatables.  There are also 2 bakeries within a short walk.  The supermarket closes every day at 1.30pm and reopens in the evening.  Lots of the shops in town do the same.

Afternoons:

Except for the boat day, afternoons are completely free - many people will relax around the pool at the Villa. It's available to people staying in the hotel too; there are half a dozen sunbeds and loads of canvas chairs.

Several beaches are a short walk away - Paradise Beach is less than 10 minutes and has a beach club, with sunbeds to hire and food and drink available. Be aware that beaches in Spetses are pebble and shingle, and there can be sea urchins. Rubber beach shoes / jelly shoes are recommended, and you can buy them in the local supermarket, as well as snorkelling equipment.

If you're not a beach lover, bikes are available to hire (by the day or the week) and for the brave(!) there are mopeds to rent.   There's diving available if you're qualified.

Evenings:

Most evenings will involve eating and drinking in the many local restaurants and bars in Spetses town.  There’s any number of places to eat, but we usually gravitate towards the main square with the clock tower for anything from pizza to souvlaki, at prices that are very reasonable by London standards.

Except for an evening at the Olive Press (see below), John/Richard do NOT make arrangements. It's up to us where, when and with whom we eat.  Keep an eye on theWhatsApp group chat to see if anyone is making plans and share your plans with others - there's no need for anyone to feel that they don't have a dinner or beer buddy unless that's their choice.

We usually have one evening at the Olive Press, a local restaurant overlooking the sea, where we sit at long tables on the jetty and have dinner with often spectacular sunset views.  It’s a relatively pricey restaurant by Spetses standards, and there’s no obligation to come along, but it’s always a good evening.  John/Richard will confirm numbers and make a group booking for this one.  

There’s an open air cinema, and more bars along the waterfront than you can shake a stick at. We have some LCV favourites; keep an eye on the WhatsApp group to see where people have landed.   

Getting around:

Spetses is a little island but can be a challenge if you have impaired mobility.  It’s not at all suitable for wheelchair users – the accommodation isn’t accessible and island roads can be rough and unfinished. The walk from the villa or hotel into town takes around 15 minutes and involves some hills.  There are very few cars on Spetses – they’re prohibited in the summer, and just half a dozen taxis operate from the harbour.  Most islanders whizz around on mopeds (also worth watching out for when you’re walking home in the dark at stupid o’clock after a cocktail or two), and mopeds, quad bikes and pushbikes are available for hire.  There are horse-drawn carriages that operate from the harbour, but in reality, to enjoy your Spetses experience you probably need a reasonable level of mobility.  

Overall:

This holiday isn't an organised 'package' and, outside of the singing stuff, very little is arranged for us. (It's Richard's and Kate's holiday too). Be prepared to be a bit self-sufficient about working out how you want to spend your free time, and make use of the WhatsApp group to share plans/tips/local knowledge.

If you want solo time and a chilled week you can certainly have that, but it's also a lovely opportunity to spend proper time with old and new LCV friends.   While some people travel to Spetses with established friends, many come on their own or share with people they don't know well.  The group dynamic seems to work best when everyone is prepared to be open to new conversations and new friendships.  You'll get the most out of the trip if you're a bit proactive about sharing your time and your plans and if you're happy to join in with stuff.

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Here comes the sun!

This term we'll be singing lots of lovely summery songs to get us in the mood for our fabulous summer party.

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As previously, we're holding a fantastic end-of-term concert/party. It will be on Sunday 18 August at Tobacco Dock. This is always one of our favourite days - a very relaxed concert then a brilliant summer party. Save the date!

Concert - Boy Bands & Girl Groups

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Venue: Hackney Empire, 291 Mare Street, E8 1EJ

Date: 12 April 2024

Doors open: 7pm

Concert starts: 8pm

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ARRIVAL TIME

• Please arrive as close to 5:30pm as possible, ideally in your outfit. Please don't come earlier than this, as we'll need quiet in the theatre.
• Do not bring guests with you at this time - they will not be allowed in.
• Come to the Stage Door (behind the building) but keep an eye on Telegram for any changes to this. There may be a bit of a queue, as people will have to give their names and receive a wristband.
• There will be a 6:00pm soundcheck, running until 7:00pm. If you arrive after the soundcheck has started, please make your way to your place on the stage.
• The sound check is actually less for your benefit and more for us and the sound engineers to make sure the mics and levels are correct so please bear with us on this - there will be times when the backing tracks are too loud and too quiet, as we'll be getting those levels right.
• The concert will end around 10:30pm

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RUNNING ORDER

Black Magic

Daydream Believer

Pure Shores

Overload

I Want It That Way

Love In The First Degree

Drifters Mashup
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INTERVAL

Shine

Sound Of THe Underground

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION - What Makes You Beautiful lyrics link

You Raise Me Up

You Can't Hurry Love

Jump

Tragedy

End Of The Road

Spice Up Your Life

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WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE RUNNING LATE OR CAN NO LONGER MAKE IT

If you happen to be running late or find yourself unable to make it to the concert, please DO NOT let us know. While we genuinely appreciate your consideration, there's not much we can do with the information amidst the pre-concert chaos. We need to keep Telegram free for urgent communications. If you're running behind schedule, simply make your way to the venue as soon as possible and follow the instructions above. And if you can no longer attend, please know that we understand life throws unexpected curveballs sometimes. We hope everything is alright, and we'll catch up with you in the new term!

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WHERE TO PUT YOUR BAGS

There are dressing rooms at Hackney Empire that have enough space for us to store our bags, but there won’t be enough space for everyone to get changed. Where possible, please arrive at the venue already dressed in your outfits and hair/make-up etc already done.

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WHAT TO DO WITH GUESTS BEFORE THE CONCERT

Please don’t bring your guests with you for the soundcheck. They won’t be let in. There are plenty of pubs/bars/restaurants around Hackney Empire for your guests to hang out in before the show (see below). If this isn't possible (caring responsibilities etc) then please arrive 30 minutes before the performance instead, when we've opened the door to guests.

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SEEING YOUR MUSIC

You get to choose how you handle your music on stage—whether it's printed sheets in a folder or using a tablet, both work just fine. Please make sure you can see your music, especially as there will be times the lighting won’t be great (for us, but it’ll be great for the audience!). If you're sticking with sheet music in a folder, I'd highly recommend grabbing a cheap book light to clip on for better visibility.The light must clip onto your folder, NOT a head torch, or any other light that faces out to the audience!

If you're using paper sheets, you MUST have a folder. NO LOOSE SHEETS. It doesn’t need to be a black folder for this concert, so feel free to bring out all your colours.

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AFTER PARTY

The After Party will be at Oslo Hackney (1A Amhurst Rd, London E8 1JB). Oslo is free entry before 11pm, so once the concert has finished, pack up your things and go straight there. The downstairs area has tables and benches, and is suitable for chatting. Upstairs is for dancing, and has the Green Room which is designated for LCV. This room is a bit hidden. Where possible, please  buy as many of your drinks as possible from there, as we have a minimum spend to hit. As Oslo is a nightclub, this is not an LCV-organised event, so it is also open to the public. There should be no problem getting in, but do bear in mind that they probably won't be willing or able to put huge bags in a cloakroom, so you might have to take them around with you. If you do, please look after your stuff. You'll be given a wristband on arrival at the Hackney Empire - please keep this on for the afterparty, and it'll get you into the Green Room. If you're bringing friends and family, they won't be able to go in there though.

For accessibility info at Oslo, please read the relevant information on their website here

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TICKET COLLECTION

If you have tickets which need to be collected by your guests, put them in an envelope clearly labelled with your guest's full name and give them to Kate before the soundcheck. If you arrive too late for this, you'll need to go and find Louise Arnold who will be in the foyer at the Press desk and leave them with her. IMPORTANT: If you have different groups of guests coming, you will need a separate envelope for each group.

Tickets will be available to purchase on the door.

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TICKET EXCHANGE GROUP

There is a Telegram group for Spring Concert Ticket Exchanges - please use this group if you are looking for extra tickets to the concert or have tickets to sell that are no longer needed.

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EQUIPMENT

There will be small speakers around the stage to ensure everyone can hear the backing track fairly well. Please be careful when you're walking on stage not to knock these over.

There will also be some tall, thin choir microphones positioned in the front rows, with the remaining mics suspended from above. If there's a microphone stand near you, please try not to touch the stand, as those noises get transferred to the microphones.

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VENUE ACCESSIBILITY

Hackney Empire has a step-free entrance that goes straight into the Stalls on Mare Street, and another step-free entrance at the side of the building on Wilton Way that takes you straight to the lift. The lift goes to all levels of the theatre and there is at least one accessible toilet on every level.

For more information about the venue accessibility, please visit Hackney Empire’s website

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OUTFITS

We love a themed outfit at LCV and this concert is no different! We’d love as many Girl Group and Boy Band inspired outfits as possible - time to get in touch with your inner Backstreet Boy, Spice Girl or Sugababe!  If you're struggling with outfits, the Telegram group is a great place to discuss and get advice. And if elaborate fancy dress isn't your thing, please still make a nod to the era by wearing a boy band or girl group t-shirt.

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WHAT TO TAKE ON STAGE

Make sure to take your music with you on stage and a bottle of water (if you’d like). If you have accessibility requirements and need to be able to sit during the performance, please make sure you speak to Kate before the day of the concert. We won't be able to have chairs on stage (for safety reasons) but we can have them on the side so you will have somewhere to sit as needed.

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USING THE CHOIR APP

If you are using the Choir App during the concert, please make sure you ‘Enable Concert Mode’ - this will make sure no-one accidentally starts playing the recordings during the concert! You can find this option by clicking the 3-dot menu in top right hand corner (when in the Current Term playlist)

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CHARITY

We will be supporting LAWA - Latin American Women’s Aid - who runs the only refuges in Europe and in the UK by and for Latin American women and children fleeing gender-based violence. They offer holistic and intersectional services ranging from emergency refuge homes, advice and support, crèche, English classes, counselling, providing everything a Black and Minoritised woman needs to recover from abuse and live empowered lives. We will hear a short talk about the work of LAWA before the interval and as usual, there will be the opportunity to donate via cash or card during the interval and at the end of the concert.

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LIVE STREAM

We will be live streaming the concert. For those of you with relatives and friends who would like to watch from afar, the best way to access the live stream is to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. They will then get a notification and a link when we go live.

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VIDEOS/PHOTOS

As always, the concert will be filmed and photographed. By taking part in the concert you are giving your consent to your image being used in our promotional and marketing materials. There isn't the space or time for a photo-booth in this venue, so make sure you get lots of selfies with your friends.

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BEFORE THE SHOW AND DURING THE INTERVAL

There is no need to remain backstage (in fact, there's not enough room for you all) while you're not performing, so feel free to mingle with your guests. Just listen out for announcements about making your way back to the stage.

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DRINKING

Feel free to have a drink before the concert or at the interval, but please don't go overboard. DO NOT GET HAMMERED BEFORE OR DURING THE CONCERT. We need you sober! One drink might make you sing better, several will not. You can of course take water onstage with you.

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LOST PROPERTY

If you leave anything at Hackney Empire, they will hopefully hold onto it for you to collect as soon as possible. Please call them on 020 3553 4831

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HOW TO GET THERE

Public transport

The nearest station is the London Overground Hackney Central  – 4 minutes’ walk from the Hackney Empire.  This line links to the Victoria Line at Highbury & Islington and the Central, DLR, Jubilee, Elizabeth and national rail rai lines at Stratford.

Hackney Downs station links with Liverpool Street and is a 10-minute walk from the Empire.  It has London Overground and Greater Anglia trains to and from Liverpool Street

The London Overground to Dalston Junction is a 20-minute walk or a bus-ride (38, 242, 277) away and useful from South East London.

Hackney is well-served by buses: 30, 38, 55, 106, 253, 254277 and various others. Many of these have night routes as well.

Driving

On-street parking controls in Hackney Central run until 11.30pm so driving is not really an option. There is a small car park at Hackney Central station on Amhurst Road. It has only 25 spaces and it’s a lottery.

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WHERE CAN MY GUESTS GO BEFORE THE DOORS OPEN?

Pubs

There is a Wetherspoons Baxter's Court directly opposite the Empire. It’s a Spoons and it’s Hackney. Probably not very salubrious but will do the job.

The Old Ship is a couple of doors down from the Empire and is a nice little boozer with some food options.  

If you just want craft beer and no food the tiny Cock Tavern is good.

Another craft beer option is The Hackney Tap on the Narroway.  

London Fields is a stone’s throw away where you will find Pub on the Park.  It has huge outdoor space and sits in London Fields.  It also offers food options.  

Whatever happens don’t get wasted before the concert!

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Eating

There are lots of eating options in Hackney.  The list below covers just a few of the many choices:

Decent Turkish at Anatolia about 5 minutes’ walk from the Empire

Great pizza and other Italian loveliness at Lardo on Richmond Road

Good Japanese at Tonkotsu on the Narroway

Broadway Market is not far and there is lots of choice of food and drink there

For anyone wanting Vegan food there is Temple of Seitan a 2-minute walk from the Empire

A little further away in Homerton there is The Spread Eagle which is a fully vegan pub on Homerton High Street

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Sleeping

If your guests have travelled a long way and you have no room to put them up - or if you want to party into the night and don't fancy the night bus home - these may be useful:

There is a Travelodge at Hackney Central station and PremierInn at Dalston (opposite Dalston Kingsland station)  

There are various hotels in Stratford/Queen Elizabeth Park.

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Join us for the start of our new term

This term we'll be learning loads of fabulous songs by your favourite girl groups, boy bands and manufactured pop groups throughout the ages. Come join the party!

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Expect songs by

Take That

Girls Aloud

Little Mix

All Saints

The Supremes

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... and many, many more!

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Concert

We're holding a fantastic end-of-term concert on Friday 12 April. Like last year's wonderful 2000s concert this will be at the iconic Hackney Empire. We'll keep you posted when tickets go on sale.

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Start thinking about costumes. Maybe get together with some friends and form a group of your own!

SINGING WITH MORE POWER AND ACCURACY

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Venue: St Mary-at-Hill church, Lovat Lane (off Eastcheap), EC3R 8EE

Time: 1.15-3pm

Price: £15

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This workshop is for anyone who wants to get more out of their voice. If you struggle to project and to stay on the right notes, this well-structured and clearly explained workshop is for you. Using a variety of exercises and techniques, Richard will help you to access more power and sing more accurately.

There will also be plenty of chances to ask questions, so you can make sure you get to grips with some new techniques.

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DECODING THE DOTS

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Venue: St Mary-at-Hill church, Lovat Lane (off Eastcheap), EC3R 8EE

Time: 11am-12.45pm

Price: £15

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Do you only use your sheet music for the lyrics? Do you want to know what all those dots and squiggles mean? Then this workshop is for you.

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This workshop will introduce you to the basics of reading music, and Richard will help you understand a bit more about what the notation means. Using a variety of activities, games and music theory, Richard help you to remove some of the guesswork that goes on within choir rehearsals. You will gain a better understanding of how to identify what notes you should be aiming for, and exactly when you should be singing them.

There will also be plenty of chances to ask questions, so you can make sure you get to grips with the basics.

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LCV COMMUNITY ARTS DAY

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Saturday 9 December, all day

St Mary-at-Hill

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This is going to be a full day of LCV activities, from early morning till late night. We're just sorting out lots of the details at the moment, but there will be lots of things going on including yoga, workshops, an arts cafe, and the second open mic of the term in the evening, where we'll be encouraging all sorts of acts - the more dressing-up that's involved, the better!

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Bring your friends and family - the more the merrier!

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OPEN-MIC EVENT

This is our second open-mic night of this term.

Come and support your fellow members as they unleash their inner divas!

Aiming to start around 7.30pm

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We'll have about 20 fabulous acts, ranging from solos and duets to larger groups! Do come and support them. And if you fancy taking part yourself, just sign up below. A few pointers for prospective performers:

• This is not karaoke - it should be something that you've worked on. Don't worry - it doesn't have to be amazing, just something that you're proud of.
• If you need accompaniment, there are several options. If Ben and/or I know the song, we're happy to help (piano/guitar/both). If we don't, others might, so you can ask on the Telegram or Facebook groups. Or you can bring an accompanist. Alternatively, you can find the sheet music. I'll play anything with chords on it, but I'm not a classical piano sight-reader and don't have time to learn things, so I'll probably say no to that. Or you can source a backing track and have that on your phone.
• Commit. Don't sign up for it and then pull out the week before - it's really annoying from a programming point of view. If you sign up, you're doing it.
• We don't have the facility to include drums in the space, so if your band wants to do something, it'll have to be percussion rather than full kit.

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The event will cost £10 on the door for every person (whether performing or not).

Here are the usual guidelines for performers and audience.

• If you’re performing, be ready to go onstage as soon as you are called, and make sure that guitars/ukeleles/kazoos, etc are in tune before you go on.
• Please listen to the other acts - it shouldn’t need saying. If you want to chat/rehearse please go right outside (not in the foyer). Obviously, you shouldn’t be chatting in the hall while people are performing but you can still be heard if you talk in the foyer and it’s really distracting.
• If you need to pop to the loo or outside for some reason, obviously that's fine, but please wait until the gap between performances to do so. There shouldn't be anyone wandering around during someone else's performance - it's impolite!
• Bring your own drinks and nibbles, but remember you’ll need your own plastic cup/glass to drink out of.
• Please veer toward the white/clear drinks - we don’t want any red wine spilled on the carpet. M&S do some great cans of G&T, etc.
• Take your empties and rubbish away with you. The church isn’t equipped to deal with bottles, cans or crisp packets from 150 people.

Do encourage your friends and family to come along too.

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TOWER OF LONDON

We have performed as part of this MD Brunch event several times now, and it's always great fun. It's a real privilege to perform at such an iconic venue. And it's a great chance to practise many of the songs for our own concert.

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There will be several choirs performing at different times offering a huge range of music and styles.

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We have been given two performance times of 25 minutes. The first is at 1:30pm, and the second is at 4:30pm. These are both on the Wharf which is open to the public, so you can get your friends and family to come along and watch if you like. NB - we're not actually singing in the Tower grounds this time, but you'll be able to go in and watch the smaller choirs doing so. The Wharf is a better location to sing anyway, so don't be disappointed.

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Dress warm!

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We have been allocated 150 wristbands for this event, so fill in the form below if you'd like to take part.

THIS IS A NEW FORM AND SUPERSEDES THE ONE YOU FILLED IN A FEW MONTHS AGO.

In this form, I ask you to choose your preference for which performance you do. There are four possibilities - just the earlier, just the later, both if possible, or either but not both. This is going to sound really obvious, to spell it out: If you can ONLY do the first one, pick the first one. If you can ONLY do the second one, pick the second one. If you would like to do both if possible, pick the third one. If you only have time to do one of them, but you could be flexible as to which one, pick the fourth one.

Although we have been allocated 150 wristbands, we can probably only have 100 people maximum on stage at one time, so if we allocate all wristbands and you're all there all the time, we have to make some choices. We'll work out a rota. But this will only work if you fill in the form. I have to give names to MD Brunch by Friday 17 November, so please do this now if you want to be included.

Come and support your fellow members as they unleash their inner divas!

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St Mary-at-Hill, straight after Wednesday's rehearsal

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We'll have about 20 fabulous acts, ranging from solos and duets to larger groups! Do come and support them. And if you fancy taking part yourself, just sign up below. A few pointers for prospective performers:

• This is not karaoke - it should be something that you've worked on. Don't worry - it doesn't have to be amazing, just something that you're proud of.
• If you need accompaniment, there are several options. If Ben and/or I know the song, we're happy to help (piano/guitar/both). If we don't, others might, so you can ask on the Telegram or Facebook groups. Or you can bring an accompanist. Alternatively, you can find the sheet music. I'll play anything with chords on it, but I'm not a classical piano sight-reader and don't have time to learn things, so I'll probably say no to that. Or you can source a backing track and have that on your phone.
• Commit. Don't sign up for it and then pull out the week before - it's really annoying from a programming point of view. If you sign up, you're doing it.
• We don't have the facility to include drums in the space, so if your band wants to do something, it'll have to be percussion rather than full kit.

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The event will cost £10 on the door for every person (whether performing or not).

Here are the usual guidelines for performers and audience.

• If you’re performing, be ready to go onstage as soon as you are called, and make sure that guitars/ukeleles/kazoos, etc are in tune before you go on.
• Please listen to the other acts - it shouldn’t need saying. If you want to chat/rehearse please go right outside (not in the foyer). Obviously, you shouldn’t be chatting in the hall while people are performing but you can still be heard if you talk in the foyer and it’s really distracting.
• If you need to pop to the loo or outside for some reason, obviously that's fine, but please wait until the gap between performances to do so. There shouldn't be anyone wandering around during someone else's performance - it's impolite!
• Bring your own drinks and nibbles, but remember you’ll need your own plastic cup/glass to drink out of.
• Please veer toward the white/clear drinks - we don’t want any red wine spilled on the carpet. M&S do some great cans of G&T, etc.
• Take your empties and rubbish away with you. The church isn’t equipped to deal with bottles, cans or crisp packets from 150 people.

Do encourage your friends and family to come along too.

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Palma weekend with LCV Travel

13 - 15 October 2023

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It's been four years, but now we're delighted to announce our Autumn Weekend trips are back. This year we're heading to the beautiful city of Palma de Mallorca.

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Those of you who have joined the choir in recent years may not know this, but pre-Covid we ran weekend city breaks every year. We've visited Cologne, Verona, Valencia, Dublin and Ljubljana, and had a fabulous time in each of them.

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As you may expect with LCV, there is much eating, drinking and making merry. And we even find time for a bit of singing - usually in a town square or on the steps of a municipal building. If we can find a local charity to support, so much the better. There are extra activities for you to enjoy if you wish, such as boat trips and cycle tours. Or, if you prefer, you can just wander the picturesque streets and watch the world go by from a pavement cafe.

Many of our members have enjoyed our trips in the past. Don't worry if you don't know anyone - come along and make new friends in a beautiful setting.

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THE CITY IN SUMMARY

Mallorca's capital - Palma - is historic, stylish and vibrant.

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Looking out over the Mediterranean, Palma is a city with many attractions - the old town, colourful markets, a cosmopolitan vibe and a magnificent gothic cathedral which towers over the landscape below.

There is no shortage of cafes, bars, restaurants and clubs by day or night. You can enjoy a walk along the palm-fringed waterfront, take in the galleries or immerse yourself in boutique shopping.

For out-of-city options you can visit the beaches of Playa de Palma and Ca'n Pastilla, take a day tour to charming Port Soller or a boat trip to enjoy views of this beautiful city from the water.

With so much to see both within and outside Palma and time being short, we aim to organise a group tour (maybe two, time permitting) which we can offer as an extra.

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Recommended places to visit:

- Catedral de Palma

- Mercat de l'Olivar

- Passeig des Born

- S'Hort del Rei

- Castell de Bellver

- Platja de Palma

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To give you a flavour of this beautiful city and to whet your appetite here are a couple of videos:

An overall guide to the city with many snapshots of popular sites as well as hidden gems

A more formal guide to the many attractions of Palma

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ACCOMMODATION

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We have several accommodation options in both the Marina area and in the city centre. We can offer three hotels in the Marina and one in the city centre.

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All sole occupancy room options are in the Marina area because they offer the best value. There are also twin, double and triple rooms available here.

The city centre hotel offers twin and double rooms.

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We have carefully selected these hotels because of their quality and value for money. The three Marina hotels are a short walking distance from one another.

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The Marina has a relaxed feel with an array of restaurants, bars and cafes, and is an easy 20-30 minutes' walk from the city centre (buses are available if you don't fancy the walk).

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The city centre option naturally provides a central location, and is ideally positioned to take in the city's highlights. It offers views across Palma and out towards the sea.

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All accommodation options include breakfast and are subject to availability.

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Prices include:

- 2 nights' accommodation with private facilities (13-15 October 2023)

- Breakfast

- Complimentary wifi

- Spanish Eco tax

- Group singing opportunities over the weekend (subject to location confirmation from Richard)

- Services of a travel consultant before, during and after the trip

- Group leaders on the trip (Richard and John)

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Prices do not include:

- Flights/travel to Palma (there is a broad selection of airlines and times from many London airports). We recommend booking sooner rather than later.

- Airport transfers

- Extra nights (can be arranged by John on request)

- Travel insurance (highly recommended)

- Lunch, dinner, other meals and snacks

- Tours and extra activities

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THE MARINA HOTELS

Most of the rooms we have reserved are in the Marina area. The three hotels here are only a short walk from each other.

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Hotel A: 3 star

Sole occupancy only - only 5 rooms available

This is a very well reviewed hotel, set off the Marina area. It has a welcoming, comfortable feel, a swimming pool and generously sized double-bedded rooms. Each room has a terrace or balcony.

Double room for sole occupancy.

Room includes: double bed, air-conditioning, wifi, tv, coffee/tea maker, safety deposit box, terrace/balcony.

Sole occupancy with breakfast: £335

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Hotel B: 3+ star

Sole occupancy and triples, although we can obtain twin/double rooms if required. Only 6 sole occupancy rooms available.

This quirky, stylish hotel offers a splash of colour for those who like something different. It is set just off the Marina and is only 4 minutes' walk to the waterfront.

This is another highly reviewed hotel, offering excellent comfort and facilities, including a swimming pool with an outdoor terrace, and a spa and wellness centre.

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Single room with double bed.

Room includes double bed, air-conditioning, wifi, tv, safety deposit box

Sole occupancy with breakfast: £298

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Triple room

This is a spacious room with two beds plus a sofa-bed which converts to a comfortable sized bed

Triple occupancy with breakfast: £209 per person

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Twin or double occupancy: on request

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Hotel C: 4 star

Sole occupancy, twins and doubles

This is a high-quality, well reviewed, contemporary hotel occupying a lovely position, overlooking Palma Bay in the Marina. Amenities include a swimming pool facing the sea, a sizeable spa, an indoor pool, a 24-hour gym and an à la carte restaurant with sea views. The hotel is sophisticated and relaxed. It is a larger property with an open welcoming feel, and will comfortably cater for our group. Both the individual rooms and the public areas are very generously sized.

Classic room with terrace

The hotel has told us that some rooms may be randomly upgraded nearer to arrival. There is no guarantee of this, but it is simply a very nice offer for our group.

Room includes: double or twin beds, terrace, air conditioning, wifi, tv, safety deposit box.

Sole occupancy with breakfast: £402

Twin or double occupancy with breakfast: £262 per person

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CITY CENTRE HOTEL

Hotel D: 4 star

Twins and doubles only

This elegant city centre property is again excellently reviewed. It offers a rooftop bar and restaurant, with far-reaching views over Palma, the cathedral and out to the Mediterranean.

Rooms are generously sized and comfortably furnished.

Twin or double-bedded room

Room includes: air conditioning, wifi, tv, safety deposit box

Twin or double occupancy with breakfast: £293 per person (option to deduct £20 per person if breakfast is not required)

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Making your own accommodation arrangements

You are, of course, welcome to arrange your own accommodation. However, because this is a group activity holiday with singing plans, group leaders on hand and potential extra group activities, there is a cost to join in. Please contact John as soon as possible if you intend to make your own accommodation arrangements, for more details on when and how to pay this.

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BOOKING

To reserve your place for Palma 2023 we require a non-refundable deposit of £60 per person.

We recommend booking quickly as this break is likely to prove very popular.

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If you are interested or have any questions, please contact John Joannou (not Richard) on:

Tel:     07763 120452 or

Email:  johnjoannou@live.co.uk.

Get your thinking caps on because our favourite lockdown quiz hosts - the Inquizitors - are set to test our general knowledge once again.  

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WEDNESDAY 11 OCTOBER

8.45pm St Mary-at-Hill

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This will take place straight after our Wednesday rehearsal

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Don't worry if you don't have a team - just come along and we'll put you in one. The more the merrier!

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Teams of 8

£10 per team

BYO nibbles and drinks (white/clear only)

Take your rubbish away afterwards

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Welcome to the autumn term!

This year our theme is "American Songbook", so we'll be taking Christmas with a swing. Just think Rat Pack, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, and the golden age of Hollywood glamour...

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As usual, we'll be starting with some brilliant pop (first "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and "Dream a Little Dream"), then as the term progresses we'll move on to some great Christmas tunes from the American Songbook - lots of new songs, but lots of old favourites too.

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We're looking forward to many exciting events this term, including workshops, and open mics. And, of course, we'll be holding a fantastic end-of-term concert - in fact, three of them - so dust off your DJs, sequins and santa hats! The concerts will be at St Mary-at-Hill, our Wednesday night venue, and will take place on 15-16 December.

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The event will start at 2pm. The singing will start around 2:30/2.45pm. Then it's party party party until late (10pm).

This is a chance to have fun, catch up, play games (croquet, boules), eat, drink and generally enjoy the LCV mayhem.

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Food is available - and drink (of course!)

The venue is fully seated in various different areas.

Audience tickets £15 (£6 children under 12), available soon

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TIMINGS: Arrive ready for 1pm soundcheck, doors open 2pm, concert starts 2.30/45pm

DRESS CODE: Summer party - as partyish as possible. Bright colours, big patterns - los of fun!

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Set list  in order

FIRST HALF

• Don't Leave Me This Way
• Lovely Day
• La Isla Bonita
• Watermelon Sugar
• Livin' La Vida Loca
• Millennium Mashup

SECOND HALF

• Mamma Mia
• Pure Shores
• Black Magic
• Let Your Love Flow
• Simply The Best
• Disco Mashup

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Please put your sheet music in a folder as usual. Otherwise, tablets and phones are both fine.

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Please be aware the venue has no lift. In order to get to the roof you have to climb up several flights of stairs or walk up a ramp.

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Enjoy another brilliant evening's entertainment at St Mary's!

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St Mary-at-Hill, straight after Wednesday's rehearsal

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Come and support your fellow LCV-ers as they show off their party pieces.

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The event will cost £10 on the door for every person (whether performing or not).

Here are the usual guidelines for performers and audience.

• If you’re performing, be ready to go onstage as soon as you are called, and make sure that guitars/ukeleles/kazoos, etc are in tune before you go on.
• Please listen to the other acts - it shouldn’t need saying. If you want to chat/rehearse please go right outside (not in the foyer). Obviously, you shouldn’t be chatting in the hall while people are performing but you can still be heard if you talk in the foyer and it’s really distracting.
• If you need to pop to the loo or outside for some reason, obviously that's fine, but please wait until the gap between performances to do so. There shouldn't be anyone wandering around during someone else's performance - it's impolite!
• Bring your own drinks and nibbles, but remember you’ll need your own plastic cup/glass to drink out of.
• Please veer toward the white/clear drinks - we don’t want any red wine spilled on the carpet. M&S do some great cans of G&T, etc.
• Take your empties and rubbish away with you. The church isn’t equipped to deal with bottles, cans or crisp packets from 150 people.

Do encourage your friends and family to come along too.

Come and support your fellow members as they unleash their inner divas!

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St Mary-at-Hill, straight after Wednesday's rehearsal

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We have about 20 fabulous acts, ranging from solos and duets to huge groups! Do come and support them. And if you fancy taking part yourself, there will be another of these later in the term.

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The event will cost £10 on the door for every person (whether performing or not).

Here are the usual guidelines for performers and audience.

• If you’re performing, be ready to go onstage as soon as you are called, and make sure that guitars/ukeleles/kazoos, etc are in tune before you go on.
• Please listen to the other acts - it shouldn’t need saying. If you want to chat/rehearse please go right outside (not in the foyer). Obviously, you shouldn’t be chatting in the hall while people are performing but you can still be heard if you talk in the foyer and it’s really distracting.
• If you need to pop to the loo or outside for some reason, obviously that's fine, but please wait until the gap between performances to do so. There shouldn't be anyone wandering around during someone else's performance - it's impolite!
• Bring your own drinks and nibbles, but remember you’ll need your own plastic cup/glass to drink out of.
• Please veer toward the white/clear drinks - we don’t want any red wine spilled on the carpet. M&S do some great cans of G&T, etc.
• Take your empties and rubbish away with you. The church isn’t equipped to deal with bottles, cans or crisp packets from 150 people.

Do encourage your friends and family to come along too.

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SPETSES singing holiday 2023 with LCV Travel

WEEK 1: 04– 11June 2023 (Sunday to Sunday)

WEEK 2: 11 - 18 June 2023 (Sunday to Sunday)

BOTH WEEKS: 04 - 18 June 2023 (Sunday to Sunday)

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We plan to return to the gorgeous Greek island of Spetses in the summer of 2023. This will be our seventh year.

You can come for the first week, the second week or both.

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PRICE INCREASES

The first thing to say is that, given significant increases in overhead costs for our Spetses accommodation suppliers (some rising between 30% and 40%), prices passed on to us have now risen considerably. This will especially affect those of you looking at rooms for sole occupancy.

The rising costs for our hosts include food, provisions, labour costs and - most notably - utilities.

Prior to this rise - prices had been frozen for our previous two trips as there had been no increases we needed to pass on.

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However, the Spetses accommodation management have kindly not increased their prices to us by the full 30-40%.

In addition, to mitigate some of the impact of these new costs, we have significantly reduced our own LCV Travel costs, especially to assist those of you looking for sole occupancy.

The package costs would otherwise be even higher.

Important notes:

• We plan to go ahead with this trip, unless the UK Foreign Office and Greek government otherwise restrict/strongly recommend us not to travel to our stated destinations.
• We recommend you take out travel insurance and check for Covid cover.
• Should you wish to cancel full cancellation charges will apply (see the cancellation charges table further below).
• Should Covid issues reoccur you may be required to provide an appropriate Covid test or certificate in order to enter Greece. The rules and restrictions will be updated and can viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece/entry-requirements

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A PICTURE OF THE TRIP

• Each week will be capped at approximately 30 people. Should bookings become popular, availability will be limited.

• This holiday is very different from our weekend trips. It offers plenty of relaxation time, lots of singing, friendly locals, optional excursions and events, great food and culture and even opportunities for a boogie.

• You may choose to combine a pre- or post-Spetses stay with a day or more in Athens. This has proved very popular in the past and also helps to eliminate the early start on the outbound journey.

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If you travel on 04 or 11 June (with no Athens stay) - a very early morning departure from the UK is required in order to be in Athens by 1pm on the day of our departure to Spetses. The journey from Athens to Spetses is a combination of coach and then short boat trip. We’ll also include a comfort stop somewhere along the way.

It is vice versa for the return journey.

The coach travels from Athens to Kosta (a port town at the bottom of the Peloponnese), from where we take a boat for the short crossing to Spetses.

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The two Athenian departure points are:

Athens city - departing at around 1pm

Or

Athens airport - departing around 2pm

The group will travel by coach to Kosta where we’ll then board a private boat for the 15-minute ride to Spetses. We’ll also include a stop to break the journey somewhere along the way. The group normally arrives on Spetses in the early evening. Thereafter, you can check in to your accommodation, freshen up and simply relax, or as many of the group do, go out for dinner.

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PACKAGE COST

In summary this includes: accommodation with breakfast, transfers, short ferry and Greek government taxes.

Full inclusion/non-inclusion details are stated further below:

1 week (7 nights)                                         2 weeks (14 nights)

Sunday 04 - 11 June’23                                        Sunday 04 – 18 June’23

OR    Sunday 11 - 18 June’23                  

SOLE OCCUPANCY    

£949 for: villa room                                                  £1641 for: villa room

£862 for: villa with no terrace room                      £1447 for: villa with no terrace room

£885 for: hotel room                                                £1508 for: hotel room

TWIN/DOUBLE      

£687 per person for: villa or hotel                         £1097 per person for: villa or hotel

TRIPLE (limited)    

£608 per person for: villa (only 1 room)               £939 per person for: villa (only 1 room)

QUADRUPLE      There is one two-bedroom apartment at the hotel at our disposal. This can accommodate 2-4 people. Please enquire if this is of interest to you.

Your balance/full payment will be required by: 19 March 2023 (04-11 June or two-week bookings) or 26 March 2023 (11-18 June bookings).

Greek government tax for Spetses is now included by our accommodation hosts in the above costs. This was previously a small extra cost.

Cost includes:

·      7 or 14 nights’ accommodation on the island of Spetses on a bed & breakfast basis. You have the choice of two Spetses accommodations below (see below and subject to availability), which we have used in all of our previous years. Both properties are walking distance to the beach and the charming old harbour with its restaurants and bars in a relaxed setting. The main resort centre is a pleasant 15-minute walk away and where you’ll find many shops, bars, cafes and restaurants. Each year we discover somewhere new.

·      Private coach travel from either Athens airport or city (pick-up from our 3-star Athens hotel) to Kosta (Peloponnese) and vice versa. These journeys will include a comfort stop somewhere in each direction.

·      Short ferry crossings (15 minutes each way) from Kosta to Spetses and back to Kosta, along with transfers to/from your Spetses accommodation, if required.

·      Singing and teaching time on the holiday includes: up to 90 minutes' group rehearsal each day (subject to change) learning new songs which have been prepared for this holiday. The second week may have some new repertoire. At the end of each week there will be a performance (either formal or informal) to the public on the island.

Package cost does NOT include:

·      Flights to/from Athens

·      Extra nights in Athens

·      Travel insurance (recommended and - if possible – please check for Covid cover)

·      Lunch, dinner, other meals and drinks

·      Additional organised tours/events

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ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

1: Villa

We have exclusive use of a traditional Spetses villa with a large outdoor space, including garden and swimming pool. Its large olive tree is perfect for relaxing shade.

Note: a maximum of 3 sole occupancy rooms (at the sole occupancy package rate) are normally available here each week.

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2: Hotel

A boutique hotel option. Two minutes’ walk from the villa with charm, a pretty shaded courtyard and family-run hospitality. This does not have a pool. You would have full daily use and are welcome to enjoy all of the villa’s facilities.

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A SNAPSHOT OF OUR HOLIDAY

Our accommodation is within easy walking distance of a beach and the charming old harbour with its variety of restaurants and bars. The main resort centre is a pleasant walk away, where you will find many shops, bars, cafes and restaurants. Each year we discover something new.

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If you're a fan of The Magus, Spetses is the island where John Fowles lived and wrote the book. He based the island of Phraxos on Spetses. You can see the Magus house - we've actually been right up close to it.

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As enjoyed in previous years, there will be the possibility of organised tours/activities on the island such as:

• Chartering a private boat to travel around the island for the day where we stop for a swim in a quiet, sheltered spot, followed by the option of a group restaurant lunch (overlooking a lovely bay). This is a very popular day trip and allows us to see the whole island at a leisurely pace.
• Cycle or motorbike hire is a great way to take in the beautiful coast and island. You can cycle around the whole island in a matter of hours.
• Villa party – this party combined with local food catering happens one day of each week (no swimming or pool activities permitted during this event). This includes an open mic and a good boogie.
• Yoga and therapy treatments are generally available with a local professional whom we’ve used for all of our years on Spetses. She offers yoga at the villa exclusively to our group, as well as private treatments such as: massage, Reiki, meditative reflexology, breath and sound healing and more.
• Gym & spa. A local and very grand hotel offers a gym and spa for anyone looking to work-out or be pampered.

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This holiday is open to friends and family and there's no need to be an active member of London City Voices to join us.* We have had several non-LCV members attend, and immerse themselves in the friendly environment and idyllic location and really enjoy it.

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Please note: this holiday is not suitable for children - there are no crèche facilities and the activities are very much based around adults.

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Alternative form of travel to/from Spetses – by sea

You have the private option of travelling to/from Spetses by sea.      

Anyone who wishes to travel by sea can take the ferry from Athens’ Piraeus port (30 minutes outside the city) to Spetses.

This would mean travelling independently from the group and maybe on your own.

The sea crossing takes around 3 hours each way and an extra cost would apply as this method of transport is not with the group and therefore involves extra private transfers to/from Piraeus from either airport or city, plus a ferry ticket.

Piraeus is around 40 minutes to 1 hour from Athens city or airport.

All being well - and depending on your Athens airport arrival time on the Sunday of each week – it is possible to arrive on Spetses at a similar time to the coach group.

Summer ferry schedules and reservations are generally released around March and so extra costs for this option may be calculated around this time.

Please let us know if this is of interest.

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CANCELLATION CHARGES

Recommendation: please take out appropriate travel insurance to cover you in case of personal cancellation and check for COVID cover, if possible.

Days prior to departure date          Cancellation charge per person

Up to 71 days                                   £100 deposit

70 – 51 days                                     25% of your total cost

50 – 16 days                                     50% of your total cost

15 – 0 days                                       100% of your total cost

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FLIGHTS

Currently, there are several airlines who operate direct flights to/from London to Athens.

A new airline for 2023 is Jet2 to/from Stansted.

Outbound on: 04 or 11 June 2023

IMPORTANT: Your flight arrival into Athens on 04 or 11 June must be no later than 1300 as the coach is due to depart the airport at 1400.

We normally have an earlier pick-up from Athens city (from a fixed city pick-up point), should you be staying in Athens beforehand.

Currently, there are three airlines offering flights to arrive before 1300 on both 04 and 11 June 2023 (an EasyJet service from Gatwick may also be released in the future):

1)    https://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_gb/  (Heathrow)

2)    https://wizzair.com/en-gb?gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1282923&ds_rl=1277705&ds_rl=1277705&ds_rl=1282923&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh9DxgumH-gIVVevtCh200gYZEAAYASAAEgIT8vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#/  (Luton)

3)    https://www.jet2.com/  (Stansted)

Returning on: 11 or 18 June 2023

Please book an evening flight – after 1900 on 11 or 18 June as there will only be one coach journey back to Athens.

These airlines offer a departure from Athens to London after 1900 on 11 and 18 June (an evening EasyJet service to Gatwick may also be released in the future):

1)    https://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_gb/ (Heathrow)

2)    https://en.aegeanair.com/?gclid=CLDwr9SV0M4CFdS4GwodKwQMDg    (Heathrow)

Do NOT book the following flights (unless you’re extending your time in Greece):

·      Aegean Airlines for: London to Athens on 04 or 11 June’23 as their flights do not arrive before 1300.

·      Ryanair:  Unless you are extending your time in Athens (or Greece) - Ryanair flights should not be used as they do not arrive or depart at the essential recommended times.

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ATHENS STAYS (pre- or post-Spetses)

You may like to experience a night or two in this interesting, historically-rich city, and if you do we have a group booking at a centrally located 3-star hotel, which we’ve successfully used since our first trip.

It’s in the centre of Athens, just a few minutes’ walk from Monastiraki Square (a hive of activity), with Plaka and Syntagma Square a little further on foot. All the major sights are walking distance away.

The hotel has an amazing rooftop terrace with a 360-degree view of the city, and the sight of the Acropolis at night is especially stunning.

If you prefer a higher star rating, or would simply like something different, we can help and book this for you.

An overnight stay in Athens also helps avoid the otherwise very early departure required on each week of the trip.

Our 3-star hotel rates are as follows (includes breakfast):

Sole occupancy        £91 per night

Twin / double            £52 per person, per night

Greek government tax for Athens to be paid on arrival:

·      Athens:  1.50 euro per room, per night applies and is to be paid to the hotel.

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BOOKING

To make a booking for Greece 2023 we require a non-refundable £100 deposit per person.

We recommend you book your place as soon as possible as we expect this holiday to prove as popular as ever.

Please note the cancellation charges listed above in the event you need to cancel.

Extension of holiday after confirmation: if you decide to extend the singing holiday dates, especially once you’re out in Greece, we ask you to book and pay for any change or extension via LCV Travel and not to make any arrangements individually with our accommodation provider. This is an activity-based holiday and costs must be factored in accordingly.

If you are interested or have any questions, please contact John Joannou (not Richard) on:

Tel:     07763 120452 or

Email:  johnjoannou@live.co.uk.

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* We reserve the right to refuse your booking if we think it in the best interests of our business and/or our clients.

This two-hour workshop will be run by vocal superstar, Juliet Russell.

Juliet is a creative director, vocal coach, choir director and composer whose work spans the music, arts and entertainment industries. She has worked with BRiT, MOBO and Mercury Prize winning artists and is the vocal coach on some of the UK’s leading entertainment shows including the BAFTA award winning series of The Voice and Michael McIntyre’s Big Show. She has performed at Glastonbury and the Royal Opera House, and has worked with artists and organisations from Gorillaz to the Olympic Torch Project. Juliet holds post-graduate qualifications in contemporary music performance and research-based vocal pedagogy. Her research work combines voice science with creative practice and artistry, making it powerful, accessible and relevant.

Juliet will be exploring stylistic, emotional and dynamic choices and voice qualities in a playful, safe and sustainable way. I think pretty much all of you will benefit from this - she made the point to me that it's not so much about beginner/intermediate/advanced. She's happy to come back and do more with us at a later date as well.

Do come along. It's going to be brilliant!

If you can't make it in person, join the online workshop for £15.

Venue: St Anne's church, Dean Street, Soho, W1D 6AF

Time:1.15-3.15pm

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Price: £27.50

Here comes the sun!

This term we'll be singing lots of lovely summery songs to get us in the mood for our fabulous summer party.

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As previously, we're holding a fantastic end-of-term concert/party. It will be on Sunday 20 August at Tobacco Dock. This is always one of our favourite days - a very relaxed concert then a brilliant summer party. Save the date!

Concert - Noughtie But Nice

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Venue: Hackney Empire, 291 Mare Street, E8 1EJ

Date: 22 April 2023

Doors open: 7pm

Concert starts: 8pm

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This is going to be an awesome event in an awesome venue! Start selling tickets now.

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The venue seats about 1200, and tickets are priced £10-25. Most tickets are available from Kate, but the theatre also has some. It's cheaper to buy direct from Kate at a rehearsal as the theatre adds on about £1.20 for each online sale.

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The plan above shows the seats available. It should be fairly self-explanatory. The stage is at the bottom (we're removing the front two black rows to allow space for the front apron to be added). There are four ticket price bands, £10, £15, £20, £25. We're not offering concessions, as the cheap tickets are really cheap, and tbh lots of our audience would fit in the concessions bracket.

The bright colours are available from Kate, the pastel ones directly from the Hackney Empire. We would rather you bought tickets directly from us, if that's possible (and so would you, as there's a booking fee if you buy online), but of course it's fine if your friends/family buy online - just remember to let us know so that you can credit them. There will be a nice prize given to the person who buys the most tickets from us (we can't take online into account for this as we can't verify it).

For those members of the audience with access issues, there is level access from the street to the stalls, and the tables at the back of the stalls have wheelchair spaces. the other levels all involve stairs.

We have few age restrictions. All are welcome including children, but under-16s must be accompanied by an adult. Babes in arms are welcome too, and will be allowed in free as long as they don't take up a seat. The only proviso is that they don't cause a disturbance, so if they start crying they must be taken out of the auditorium.

There are bars at the back of the stalls and the back of the dress circle. These will be open before the show and during the interval.

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Taking part

We all know how wonderful it is to perform in fabulous venues. It’s even more wonderful when those venues are full.

To that end, if you are taking part in the concert we will require you to sell at least two tickets each. If everyone does that the theatre should look pretty full and we’ll have a much better time performing than we would if it were empty. Prices range from £10 to £25, so there should be a price band to suit everyone.

However, if you genuinely can’t sell two tickets we will ask you for a contribution of £20. This is not a “performance fee” but a request that you take your share of the financial responsibility for the event. Our concerts aren’t cheap to put on and we’ve suffered considerable losses in the past. We can’t keep hiring beautiful venues to perform in if we can’t at least break even.

There's a Google form for the concert. Please, if you're reading this now, click the link, enter your name and indicate whether or not you're planning to sing in the concert. If you're not, that's where the form ends. If you are, it's a bit longer. It's essential that you let us know whether or not you're taking part.

There's also a Stripe link to pay the £20 contribution - do please note that this is only for people who know that they can't get any friends or family to buy tickets. You cannot use this Stripe link to pay for tickets, so please don't try. Also, please note that the Stripe account links to Golden Pen Music, and will come up as "Swan Music" on your statement. You'll also be able to do pay this contribution at rehearsals on a card.

Nearer the time Kate will produce one of her epic standing plans so you'll all know where to stand on the stage. We'll be hiring in some tiered staging as usual so we'll do our best to make sure you can all be seen. This is why it's so important you fill in the Google form with your correct height and any other other relevant info.

Programme

Running order:

I Don't Feel Like Dancing

Suddenly I See

If I Ain't Got You

Grace Kelly

Valerie

Fix You

Toxic

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INTERVAL

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Millennium Mashup

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION: Simplified Run

Stacy's Mom

Mr Brightside

One Day Like This

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There will also be an audience participation number. We expect the concert to last about two hours.

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Dressing Rooms

The theatre has many dressing rooms on several levels. However, there still won't be enough space for all of you to get changed at the theatre. For this reason we ask you to arrive in your outfit and just use the dressing rooms to leave your bags and coats in.

I've got nothing to wear!

Not sure what to wear for the noughties? This handy list may give you a few ideas:

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skinny jeans - embellished or otherwise

bubble dresses

bandage dresses

micro/maxi denim skirts

Ugg boots

low-rise jeans and crop tops

velour tracksuits

dresses over jeans

Capri pants

handkerchief hemlines

baggy cargo pants

chunky chains

geek-chic cardigans

tinted sunglasses

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Alternatively you may find some inspiration in films of the era. You could paint yourself green (Shrek) or blue (Avatar), or just channel your inner Borat in a nice comfy mankini!

If none of those float your boat, the 2000s were full of films offering great costume inspiration, including:

Pirates of the Caribbean

Legally Blonde

The Devil Wears Prada

Lord of the Rings

Kill Bill

Twilight

Harry Potter

V for Vendetta

Mamma Mia

Bridget Jones' Diary

Donnie Darko

Moulin Rouge

Iron Man

Monsters Inc

The Incredibles

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How to get there

Public transport

The nearest station is the London Overground Hackney Central  – 4 minutes’ walk from the Hackney Empire.  This line links to the Victoria Line at Highbury & Islington and the Central, DLR, Jubilee, Elizabeth and national rail rai lines at Stratford.

Hackney Downs station links with Liverpool Street and is a 10-minute walk from the Empire.  It has London Overground and Greater Anglia trains to and from Liverpool Street

The London Overground to Dalston Junction is a 20-minute walk or a bus-ride (38, 242, 277) away and useful from South East London.

Hackney is well-served by buses: 30, 38, 55, 106, 253, 254277 and various others. Many of these have night routes as well.

Driving

On-street parking controls in Hackney Central run until 11.30pm so driving is not really an option. There is a small car park at Hackney Central station on Amhurst Road. It has only 25 spaces and it’s a lottery.

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Where can my guests go before the doors open?

Pubs

There is a Wetherspoons Baxter's Court directly opposite the Empire. It’s a Spoons and it’s Hackney. Probably not very salubrious but will do the job.

The Old Ship is a couple of doors down from the Empire and is a nice little boozer with some food options.  

If you just want craft beer and no food the tiny Cock Tavern is good.

Another craft beer option is The Hackney Tap on the Narroway.  

London Fields is a stone’s throw away where you will find Pub on the Park.  It has huge outdoor space and sits in London Fields.  It also offers food options.  

Whatever happens don’t get wasted before the concert!

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Eating

There are lots of eating options in Hackney.  The list below covers just a few of the many choices:

Decent Turkish at Anatolia about 5 minutes’ walk from the Empire

Great pizza and other Italian loveliness at Lardo on Richmond Road

Good Japanese at Tonkotsu on theNarroway

Broadway Market is not far and there is lots of choice of food and drink there

For anyone wanting Vegan food there is Temple of Seitan a 2-minute walk from the Empire

A little further away in Homerton there is The Spread Eagle which is a fully vegan pub on Homerton High Street

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Sleeping

If your guests have travelled a long way and you have no room to put them up - or if you want to party into the night and don't fancy the night bus home - these may be useful:

There is a Travelodge at Hackney Central station and PremierInn at Dalston (opposite Dalston Kingsland station)  

There are various hotels in Stratford/Queen Elizabeth Park.

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Do you love Gospel music and want to learn more about it? Then this highly practical workshop is for you.

The workshop will be run by Naveen Arles, who has established himself as an energetic, inspirational vocal leader and animateur.  Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and founder of MDBrunch, his 38 years in music incorporates 28 years of creating singing groups of all ages and skills.  He has an incredible ability to motivate people to try music and train any group of people.

‍Nav will be running a four-hour session, with an hour's break for lunch in the middle. He will lead you through some fun warmups and teach you all sorts of stuff, culminating in a fabulous celebration of the voice.

Some of you will have met Nav, or at least seen him at the Tower of London - he coordinates MD Brunch, a collective of choir leaders. He's a really excellent workshop leader and very experienced in the Gospel Choir scene.

Given the style of music, it's possible that there will be some mildly religious content within the lyrics, but it's only within the context of the songs, and this will be kept to a minimum.

Please note: this is a single workshop, not two. We've broken it up for the sake of your brain, but it's not designed for you to just do one half and not the other.

Venue: St Anne's church, Dean Street, Soho, W1D 6AF

Time:1-6pm (with one hour for lunch)

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Price: £40

Join us for the start of our new term

This term we'll be focusing on the fabulous 2000s. Come join the party!

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Songs will include:

One Day Like This
Toxic
Lady (Hear Me Tonight)... and many more!

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We're planning to hold a fantastic end-of-term concert in April. We'll keep you posted as to where and when.

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I've got nothing to wear!

Not sure what to wear for the noughties? This handy list may give you a few ideas:

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skinny jeans - embellished or otherwise

bubble dresses

bandage dresses

micro/maxi denim skirts

Ugg boots

low-rise jeans and crop tops

velour tracksuits

dresses over jeans

Capri pants

handkerchief hemlines

baggy cargo pants

chunky chains

geek-chic cardigans

tinted sunglasses

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Alternatively you may find some inspiration in films of the era. You could paint yourself green (Shrek) or blue (Avatar), or just channel your inner Borat in a nice comfy mankini!

If none of those float your boat, the 2000s were full of films offering great costume inspiration, including:

Pirates of the Caribbean

Legally Blonde

The Devil Wears Prada

Lord of the Rings

Kill Bill

Twilight

Harry Potter

V for Vendetta

Mamma Mia

Bridget Jones' Diary

Donnie Darko

Moulin Rouge

Iron Man

Monsters Inc

The Incredibles

Paddington Station 6-8pm

We always love Christmas charity station singing, and we won't have much opportunity for it this year, so it would be great to get a good turnout for this. Bring your santa hats/antlers/christmas jumpers.

We're scheduled to sing for a couple of hours. Then, of course, we'll adjourn to a hostelry.

Venue: St Mary-at-Hill, Lovat Lane, EC3R 8EE

Arrive by 6.30pm. Doors will open to the public at 7pm. If you have also sung in the matinee concert, please DO NOT GET HAMMERED in between.

There will not be a standing plan for this concert, so please be sensible about arranging yourselves. If you're tall don't insist on standing on the front row. If you're short don't hide behind someone else. You need to be able to see Richard/Ben/Lucy/Mike clearly.

You can have a discreet bottle of water with you, but please DO NOT PUT ANYTHING ON THE ALTAR.

Music to be in a black folder or on an iPad - no white paper to be visible.

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Running order

Yesterday

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Jump

Walking in the Air

Broken Wings

Somebody to Love

Don't Let the Bells End

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

O Holy Night (off book)

Merry Christmas Everyone

Festival of Carols

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Dress code

Smart, plain, single-colour dresses or tops with black trousers/skirts as appropriate. Rich, christmassy colours, shiny and sparkly as you like. Ideally red, green, gold, purple, etc. No pastels; no white; no grey; no patterns; no logos or graphics; no Christmas jumpers; no checks; no stripes; no dots. If in doubt load a photo to the Telegram Wibble group and we'll say yes or no.

Please bring as little as possible in the way of bags etc, as really there is nowhere to put them. We'll probably screen off an area at the front of the church where you'll be able to leave stuff at your own risk, but it might be an idea to ask guests to look after your coat, if you have people coming to watch. We expect the concert to last between 75 and 90 minutes, with no interval. At the end of the show, we'll ask people to leave fairly quickly so that we can clear up. We'd appreciate some help with this.

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Venue: St Mary-at-Hill, Lovat Lane, EC3R 8EE

Arrive at 2.45pm, ready for sound check/warm up. We'll be there from around midday, I expect.

There will not be a standing plan for this concert, so please be sensible about arranging yourselves. If you're tall don't insist on standing on the front row. If you're short don't hide behind someone else. You need to be able to see the conductor(s) clearly.

You can have a discreet bottle of water with you, but please DO NOT PUT ANYTHING ON THE ALTAR.

Music to be in a black folder or on an iPad - no white paper to be visible.

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Running order

Yesterday

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Jump

Walking in the Air

Broken Wings

Somebody to Love

Don't Let the Bells End

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

O Holy Night (off book)

Merry Christmas Everyone

Festival of Carols

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Dress code

Smart, plain, single-colour dresses or tops with black trousers/skirts as appropriate. Rich, christmassy colours, shiny and sparkly as you like. Ideally red, green, gold, purple, etc. No pastels; no white; no grey; no patterns; no logos or graphics; no Christmas jumpers; no checks; no stripes; no dots. If in doubt load a photo to the Telegram Wibble group and we'll say yes or no.

Please bring as little as possible in the way of bags etc, as really there is nowhere to put them. We can screen off an area at the front of the church where you'll be able to leave stuff at your own risk, but it might be an idea to ask guests to look after your coat, if you have people coming to watch. We expect the concerts to last between 75 and 90 minutes, with no interval. At the end of the matinee, we'll ask people to leave fairly quickly so that we can reset for the evening show.

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Charing Cross Station 5.30-6.30pm

We always love Christmas charity station singing, and we won't have much opportunity for it this year, so it would be great to get a good turnout for this. Bring your santa hats/antlers/christmas jumpers.

This is two days before our concert so a great chance to get in some last-minute practice.

We're only scheduled to sing for an hour, but we'll probably go on a bit longer if they let us. then, of course, we'll adjourn to a hostelry.

Venue: New Street Square, Fetter Lane, EC4A 3BN

Date: Wednesday 14 December

Time: 5.30pm

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Voices of the City is a campaign offering four weeks of festive performances - spoken word, choirs and singers - popping up across the area to excite and delight workers as they come into the office and travel home.

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We'll be singing for about an hour, starting at 5.30pm. Please arrive in time.

Christmas repertoire - good practice for the concert.

We'll be outside, so Christmas jumpers and hats are all welcome.

No limit on numbers - the more the merrier.

Sign up sheet to follow shortly.

Venue: London Irish Centre, 50-52 Camden Square, London NW1 9XB

We'll be singing a 45-minute set, starting at 8pm, straight after the raffle - please arrive in good time, ideally about 7pm.

Christmas repertoire.

Friends and family are very welcome to attend but they'll need to buy tickets from the LIC website.

Do stay and have a drink afterwards - bar closes 11pm.

We've been asked by the IMPA to sing some Christmassy songs around their Christmas tree at their event, and in return they're donating £1000 to Dreams Come True. No limit on numbers as far as I'm aware, but it would be great to have a big turnout.

We were going to do this last year, but the event was cancelled.

Singing starts 6pm

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Waterloo station 5-7pm

We always love Christmas charity station singing, and we won't have much opportunity for it this year, so it would be great to get a good turnout for this.

This will be a great chance to practise lots of our Christmas repertoire before the concert - and no doubt we'll be heading to a local hostelry for a warming beverage afterwards.

Bring your santa hats/antlers/christmas jumpers!

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No details yet about exactly where we'll be - probably by the Christmas tree. Wrap up warm!

Venue: St Mary Magdalene Church, Trinity Road, Wandsworth

Time: Festival opens 4pm, singing 5pm

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There is only room for 50 singers, so sign up below if you want to take part.

There are also stalls offering mulled wine, tea and coffee, home produce, flowers and wreaths, so the church will be very busy.

We'll be singing for 30-40 minutes (TBC), starting at 5pm. Please arrive in good time.

Christmas repertoire.

Friends and family are very welcome to attend.

There will be somewhere for us to leave coats and bags.

Come on... you know you want to!

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St Mary-at-Hill, straight after Wednesday's rehearsal

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This is your opportunity to unleash that inner diva! Solo, duet, small group... big group, whatever you like.

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You can sing with a backing track, accompany yourself, or ask in the Telegram Wibble group if you need an accompanist.

We've even had backing dancers in the past!

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If you want to take part, please fill in this registration form. Your act should be no more than five minutes long - please check with Richard if yours is longer than that. We'll be limited to 25 acts. Please only fill in the form if you're definitely going to do it - no flakiness allowed, as you'll be taking up a space. If you're performing as part of a larger group, please don't put yourself down for that - just the person co-ordinating the group should do this.

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The event will cost £10 on the door for every person (whether performing or not).

Here are the usual guidelines for performers and audience.

• If you’re performing, be ready to go onstage as soon as you are called, and make sure that guitars/ukeleles/kazoos, etc are in tune before you go on.
• Please listen to the other acts - it shouldn’t need saying. If you want to chat/rehearse please go right outside (not in the foyer). Obviously, you shouldn’t be chatting in the hall while people are performing but you can still be heard if you talk in the foyer and it’s really distracting.
• If you need to pop to the loo or outside for some reason, obviously that's fine, but please wait until the gap between performances to do so. There shouldn't be anyone wandering around during someone else's performance - it's impolite!
• Bring your own drinks and nibbles, but remember you’ll need your own plastic cup/glass to drink out of.
• Please veer toward the white/clear drinks - we don’t want any red wine spilled on the carpet. M&S do some great cans of G&T, etc.
• Take your empties and rubbish away with you. The church isn’t equipped to deal with bottles, cans or crisp packets from 150 people.

Do encourage your friends and family to come along too.

TOWER OF LONDON

Meet at 10.15 at East Gate entrance, and all come in together.

We have performed as part of this MD Brunch event several times now, and it's always great fun. It's a real privilege to perform at such an iconic venue. And it's a great chance to practise many of the songs for our own concert. there will be about 15 choirs performing at different times offering a huge range of music and styles.

We'll be using the Yeoman Warders Bar as our green room. Bring food and drink with you - there is a Tesco just opposite the East Gate entrance.

Times & Venues

11.30am White Tower - singing for 25 minutes

1pm Tower Green - singing for 15 minutes

4pm Tower Wharf - singing for 30 minutes or so

The Tower Wharf is open to the public, so you can get your friends to come and see us there without having to buy a ticket.

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Dress warm!

Get your thinking caps on because our favourite lockdown quiz hosts - the Inquizitors - are set to test our general knowledge once again.  

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This will take place straight after our Wednesday rehearsal

NOTE: NOW ON WED 16 NOVEMBER (not Wed 09 November)

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Teams of 8

£10 per team

BYO nibbles and drinks (white/clear only)

Take your rubbish away afterwards

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Come and support your fellow members as they unleash their inner divas!

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St Mary-at-Hill, straight after Wednesday's rehearsal

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If you want to take part, don't be shy. We normally have 20-25 acts, ranging from solos and duets to huge groups! Fill in this registration form. Your act should be no more than five minutes long - please check with Richard if yours is longer than that. We'll be limited to 25 acts. Don't worry if you don't get yours registered in time - there will be another of these later in the term. Please only fill in the form if you're definitely going to do it - no flakiness allowed, as you'll be taking up a space. If you're performing as part of a larger group, please don't put yourself down for that - just the person co-ordinating the group should do this.

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You can sing with a backing track, accompany yourself, or ask in the Telegram Wibble group if you need an accompanist.

We've even had backing dancers in the past!

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The event will cost £10 on the door for every person (whether performing or not).

Here are the usual guidelines for performers and audience.

• If you’re performing, be ready to go onstage as soon as you are called, and make sure that guitars/ukeleles/kazoos, etc are in tune before you go on.
• Please listen to the other acts - it shouldn’t need saying. If you want to chat/rehearse please go right outside (not in the foyer). Obviously, you shouldn’t be chatting in the hall while people are performing but you can still be heard if you talk in the foyer and it’s really distracting.
• If you need to pop to the loo or outside for some reason, obviously that's fine, but please wait until the gap between performances to do so. There shouldn't be anyone wandering around during someone else's performance - it's impolite!
• Bring your own drinks and nibbles, but remember you’ll need your own plastic cup/glass to drink out of.
• Please veer toward the white/clear drinks - we don’t want any red wine spilled on the carpet. M&S do some great cans of G&T, etc.
• Take your empties and rubbish away with you. The church isn’t equipped to deal with bottles, cans or crisp packets from 150 people.

Do encourage your friends and family to come along too.

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We'll be singing at this in our usual place, just by the Houses of Parliament and Churchill's statue. Some of us will get there bright and early to save spaces - that's always a nice time to have coffee and chat to people.

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We'll be cheering on our own Fiona Brand who is running in the marathon, and any other LCVers who are planning to do so. Please let us know if you're running too, and we'll post donation links.

We'll be singing a load of the songs that we do in the pub, mostly drawn from the last couple of terms' repertoire plus a few of the other standards. See below for a couple of lists. As long as you know some of these songs, you should be fine. To be honest, even if you don't, turn up and join us anyway. You'll learn a lot, and it's great fun!

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SONGS TO GET TO KNOW

The below lists are good starting points for songs that we often like to use, both in the pub and at all sorts of events like this. Download them, listen to them and start to get to know them. It will really help.

LIST A - essentials

• Nineties Mashup
• Kiss Me
• Birdhouse in Your Soul
• Sit Down
• Barcelona
• What's Up?
• The Tide Is High
• Happy Together
• Cecilia
• Sloop John B
• Suspicious Minds
• Mega Musicals Mashup
• Disco Mashup
• Can't Help Falling In Love
• Let It Go
• A Little Respect
• Higher & Higher

LIST B - desirables

• Wake up Boo
• I Only Want To Be With You
• Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
• Promise Me
• Back for Good
• Breakfast at Tiffany's
• Sunny Afternoon
• Dream A Little Dream
• Natural Woman
• You Keep Me Hanging On
• Eighties Mashup
• Mr Blue Sky
• Total Eclipse
• You've Got A Friend

No dress code but if some of you could wear some LCV branded clothing that would be great. For those of you who don't know, we have an LCV shop where you can buy sweatshirts, t-shirts, hoodies... even babygros! Just scroll down to the bottom of the website page and click on the link.

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Welcome to the autumn term!

As usual, we'll be starting with some brilliant pop (first "Yesterday"), then as the term progresses we'll move on to some great Christmas tunes - lots of new songs, but lots of old favourites too.

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We looking forward to many exciting events this term, including workshops, open mics and singing at the London Marathon. And, of course, we'll be holding a fantastic end-of-term concert - details to be revealed - so dust off your sequins and santa hats!

The event will start at 2pm. The singing will start around 2:30/2.45pm. Then it's party party party until late (11pm).

This is a chance to have fun, catch up, play games (croquet, boules), eat, drink and generally enjoy the LCV mayhem.

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Food is available - and drink (of course!)

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Dress code: Sixties fancy dress if at all possible. Austin Powers, Mary Quant, Mods & Rockers, Flower Power - there's so much to choose from. Otherwise, LCV colours (red, pink, orange).

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Sign-up using the link below.

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Set list (not in order)

• Can't Take My Eyes Off You
• Cecilia
• Dream a Little Dream of Me
• Happy Together
• I Only Want To Be With You
• Natural Woman
• Sloop John B
• Sunny Afternoon
• Suspicious Minds
• The Tide Is High
• You Keep Me Hangin' On

If at all possible please put your sheet music in a black folder as usual. I realise we've left it very late to say this, but most of you already do this anyway. Otherwise, tablets and phones are both fine.

This is your opportunity to unleash that inner diva! Solo, duet, small group... big group, whatever you like.

You can sing with a backing track, accompany yourself, or ask in the Telegram Wibble group if you need an accompanist.

We've even had backing dancers in the past!

The event will cost £10 on the door for every person (whether performing or not). If you want to take part, please fill in this form to register. Your act should be no more than five minutes long - please check with Richard if yours is longer than that. We'll be limited to 25 acts. Don't worry if you don't get yours registered in time - there will be another of these next term. Please only fill in the form if you're definitely going to do it - no flakiness allowed, as you'll be taking up a space. If you're performing as part of a larger group, please don't put yourself down for that - just the person co-ordinating the group should do this.

Here are the usual guidelines for performers and audience.

• If you’re performing, be ready to go onstage as soon as you are called, and make sure that guitars/ukeleles/kazoos, etc are in tune before you go on.
• Please listen to the other acts - it shouldn’t need saying. If you want to chat/rehearse please go right outside (not in the foyer). Obviously, you shouldn’t be chatting in the hall while people are performing but you can still be heard if you talk in the foyer and it’s really distracting.
• If you need to pop to the loo or outside for some reason, obviously that's fine, but please wait until the gap between performances to do so. There shouldn't be anyone wandering around during someone else's performance - it's impolite!
• Bring your own drinks and nibbles, but remember you’ll need your own plastic cup/glass to drink out of.
• Please veer toward the white/clear drinks - we don’t want any red wine spilled on the carpet. M&S do some great cans of G&T, etc.
• Take your empties and rubbish away with you. The church isn’t equipped to deal with bottles, cans or crisp packets from 150 people.

Do encourage your friends and family to come along too.

This workshop is for those of you who have to position yourselves in the middle of your vocal part and who rely on the people sitting next to you in order to be able to hold on to your harmony. If you find you are often dragged off your part when you hear others singing something different, this workshop will really help you gain confidence.

Venue: St Mary-at-Hill church, Lovat Lane (off Eastcheap), EC3R 8EE

Time: 2-4pm

Price: £20

This workshop is for those of you who want to get more out of your sheet music. If you just read the lyrics and ignore all the notation, this well-structured and clearly explained workshop will get you well on your way to understanding what all those dots and squiggles mean.

Venue: St Mary-at-Hill church, Lovat Lane (off Eastcheap), EC3R 8EE

Time: 11am to 1pm

Price: £20

Come and support your fellow members as they unleash their inner divas! There will be solos, duets, small groups... big groups!

The event will cost £10 on the door for every person (whether performing or not).

BYO drinks and nibbles - clear or pale drinks only. No red wine! Also bring your own disposable glasses and take them away with you afterwards, along with any rubbish. The church isn't equipped to deal with waste from a great crowd of people.

SPETSES singing holiday 2022 with LCV Travel

WEEK 1: 05 – 12 June 2022 (Sunday to Sunday)

WEEK 2: 12 - 19 June 2022 (Sunday to Sunday)

BOTH WEEKS: 05 - 19 June 2022 (Sunday to Sunday)

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After missing out in 2020 and 2021, we plan to return to the gorgeous Greek island of Spetses in the summer of 2022. This will be our sixth year.

You can come for the first week, the second week or both.

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Note: In 2022, we will begin and end the trip on a Sunday (not a Monday as in previous years).

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Important notes:

• We plan to go ahead with this trip unless the UK Foreign Office and Greek government otherwise restrict or strongly recommend us not to travel to our stated destinations
• We recommend you take out travel insurance and check for Covid cover.
• Should you wish to cancel, full cancellation charges will apply (see the cancellation charges table further below).
• Providing an appropriate Covid test or certificate may be required to enter Greece. The rules and restrictions will be updated and viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece/entry-requirements

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A picture of the trip

• Each week will be capped at approximately 30 people and some people from our cancelled 2021 bookings have already rebooked for the 2022 trip. Therefore, availability is limited in certain areas, but as yet, we still have lots of room.

• This holiday is very different from our weekend trips. It offers plenty of relaxation time, lots of singing, friendly locals, optional excursions & events, great food & culture and even opportunities for a boogie.

• You may choose to combine a pre- or post-Spetses stay with a day or more in Athens. This has proved very popular in the past and also helps to eliminate the early start on the outbound journey.

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If you travel on 05 or 12 June (with no Athens stay) - a very early morning departure from the UK is required in order to be in Athens by 1pm on the day of our departure to Spetses. The return trip includes a scenic road journey between Athens and Kosta (a port town at the bottom of the Peloponnese).

The two Athenian departure points are:

Athens city - departing at around 1pm

Or

Athens airport - departing around 2pm

The group will travel by coach to Kosta where we’ll then board a private boat for the 15 minute ride to Spetses. We’ll also include a stop to break the journey somewhere along the way. The group normally arrives on Spetses at around 6.30pm. Thereafter, you can check-in to your accommodation, freshen-up and simply relax, or as many of the group do, go out for dinner.

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Package cost

This includes accommodation, transfers and short ferry (subject to availability).

After freezing the package costs these last two years, prices have now increased a little due to the higher cost of accommodation and fuel. We have not added any extra LCV Travel costs to the totals.

1 week (7 nights)                                                                 2 weeks (14 nights)

Sunday 05 - 12 June                                                         Sunday 05 – 19 June
           OR
Sunday 12 - 19 June                      

SOLE occupancy:    £762                                                   £1292

TWIN/DOUBLE:       £601 per person                               £971 per person

TRIPLE (limited):      £550 per person                               £867 per person

QUADRUPLE (a 2-bedroom apartment at the hotel is available) - please enquire                

Balance required by 17 or 24 March 2022, depending on which week you book.

Additionally, a Greek government tax for Spetses of 0.50€ per room per night applies for all stays and is to be paid on arrival at either the hotel or villa accommodation.

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COST INCLUDES (subject to availability):

• 7 or 14 nights’ accommodation on the island of Spetses on a bed & breakfast basis.

You have the choice of either of the two Spetses accommodation venues, subject to availability, which we have used in all of our previous years.

1: Villa – we have exclusive use of a traditional Spetses villa with a large outdoor space including garden and swimming pool. This is our base for the week, no matter if you're staying here or at the hotel, and the pool is open to everyone on the holiday.

Note: a maximum of three sole occupancy rooms (at the sole occupancy package rate) are available here for each week.

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2: Hotel - a boutique hotel option. Two minutes walk from the villa, charming in features & hospitality with a shaded courtyard and without a pool. You would still have full daily use of the villa’s facilities.

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Also included in the cost:

• Private Coach Travel from either Athens airport or city (pick-up from 3-star Athens hotel) to Kosta (Peloponnese) and vice versa. These journeys will include a comfortable stop somewhere in each direction.

• Short ferry crossings (15 minutes each way) from Kosta to Spetses and back to Kosta, along with transfers to/from our Spetses accommodation, if required.

• Singing & teaching time: up to 90 minutes group rehearsal each day (subject to change) learning new songs which have been prepared for this holiday. The second week will include some new repertoire. There will be a public performance on the island at the end of each week.

Cost does NOT include:

• Flights to/from Athens

• Government tax for Spetses as detailed above

• Government tax for Athens as detailed above

• Any extra nights in Athens

• Travel insurance (recommended and if possible – please check for COVID cover)

• Lunch, dinner, other meals and drinks

• Additional organised tours/events

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A snapshot of our holiday

Our accommodation is within easy walking distance of a beach and the charming old harbour with its variety of restaurants & bars. The main resort centre is a pleasant walk away, where you will find many shops, bars, cafes and restaurants. Each year we discover something new.

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If you're a fan of "The Magus", Spetses is the island where John Fowles lived and wrote the book. He based the island of Phraxos on Spetses. You can see the Magus house - we've actually been right up close to it.

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As enjoyed in previous years, there will be the possibility of organised tours/activities on the island such as:

• Chartering a private boat to travel around the island for the day where we stop for a swim in a quiet, sheltered spot, followed by the option of a group restaurant lunch (overlooking a lovely bay). This is a very popular day trip and allows us to see the whole island at a leisurely pace.
• Cycle or motorbike hire is a great way to take in the beautiful coast & island. You can cycle around the whole island in a matter of hours.
• Villa party – this party combined with local food catering happens one day of each week (no swimming or pool activities permitted during this event). This includes an open mic and a good boogie.

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This holiday is open to friends and family and there's no need to be an active member of London City Voices to join us.* We have had several non-LCV members attend, and immerse themselves in the friendly environment and idyllic location and really enjoy it.

Please note: this holiday is not suitable for children - there are no crèche facilities and the activities are very much based around adults.

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Alternative form of travel to/from Spetses – by sea

There is another option for travelling to Spetses, which is a private option and not part of the group travel. Anyone who wishes to travel away from the group and would like to take the ferry from Athens’ Piraeus port (30 minutes outside the city) to Spetses is able to do so.

The sea crossing takes around three hours each way and an extra cost would apply, as this method of transport is not with the group and therefore involves extra private transfers to/from Piraeus from either airport or city, plus a ferry ticket.

All being well and depending on your Athens airport arrival time on the Monday of each week – it is possible to potentially arrive on Spetses at a similar time to the coach group.

Summer ferry schedules and reservations are generally released around March and so extra costs for this option may be calculated at this time.

Please let us know if this is of interest.

Cancellation charges table

Recommendation: please take out appropriate travel insurance to cover you in case of personal cancellation and check for COVID cover, if possible.

Days prior to departure date          Cancellation charge per person

Up to 71 days                                   £100 deposit

70 – 51 days                                     25% of your total cost

50 – 16 days                                     50% of your total cost

15 – 0 days                                       100% of your total cost

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FLIGHTS

Five airlines currently operate DIRECT flights to/from London and Athens. However, only two of these are suitable if you plan to do all the travel on the same day.

Very important flight times to consider:

Flights times you need to book

05 or 12 June

Your flight arrival into Athens on 05 or 12 June must be no later than 1pm as the coach is due to depart the airport at 2pm. We may have an earlier pick-up from Athens city (from a fixed city pick-up point), if you are staying in Athens beforehand.

Here are the only two airlines to offer flights arriving before 1pm on 05 or 12 June:-

• EasyJet (Gatwick)

• British Airways (Heathrow)

12 or 19 June

Please book an evening flight – after 7pm on 12 or 19 June as there will only be one coach journey back to Athens.

These airlines offer a departure from Athens to London after 7pm on 12 or 19 June:-

• EasyJet (Gatwick)

• British Airways (Heathrow)

• Aegean (Heathrow) NOTE: Do not use Aegean Airlines for the outward journey (London - Athens) as their flights do not arrive before 1pm.

• Wizz Air (Luton and Gatwick) NOTE: Do not use Wizz Air for the outward journey (London - Athens) as their flights do not arrive before 1pm.

RyanAir:  Unless you are extending your time in Athens (or Greece) in both directions - Ryan Air flights should not be used as they do not arrive or depart at the relevant recommended times.

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Athens stays (pre- or post-Spetses)

If you’d like to experience a night or two in this interesting, historically-rich city we can reserve our favoured, centrally located 3-star hotel for you.

We have used this 3-star Athens hotel for the previous five years and it has worked really well. It’s in the centre of Athens, just a few minutes’ walk from Monastiraki Square (a hive of activity), with Plaka and Syntagma Square a little further on foot. All the major sights are walking distance away. The hotel has an amazing rooftop terrace with a 360 degree view of the city and the sight of Acropolis at night is especially stunning. If you prefer a higher star rating, or simply would prefer something different we can help and book this for you.

Sole occupancy        £87 per night

Twin / double            £50 per person per night

Rates include breakfast.

Additionally, a Greek government tax for Athens of 1.50€ per room per night applies for all stays and is to be paid on arrival at the hotel.

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Booking

To reserve your place on Greece 2022 we require a non-refundable £100 deposit per person. As mentioned, we have already reconfirmed many of the 2021 booked people and availability is already limited. We recommend booking your place as soon as possible as we expect this holiday to prove very popular.  

Extension of holiday after confirmation:  If you come for the first week, and then you decide that you'd like to stay for the second week, please speak to John and book it through LCV Travel, rather than directly with the hotel or villa. This is an activity-based holiday and costs must be factored in accordingly.

If you are interested or have any questions, please contact John Joannou (not Richard) on:-

Tel:     07763 120452 or email:  johnjoannou@live.co.uk.

* We reserve the right to refuse your booking if we think it in the best interests of our business and/or our clients.

Get your thinking caps on because our favourite lockdown quiz hosts - the Inquizitors - are set to test our general knowledge once again.  

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This will take place straight after our Wednesday rehearsal.

Teams of 8

£10 per team

BYO nibbles and drinks (white/clear only)

Take your rubbish away afterwards

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Venue: Picturehouse Central, Piccadilly Circus, London W1D 7DH

Arrival time: 9:15am. You'll need to leave coats and bags in the main cloakroom

Dress Code: Smart casual. If you're able to wear some LCV colours on top then that's great, but don't worry if not.

Performance: 9:40-9:55am. We'll sing the Nineties Mashup.

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If you want to attend any of the sessions, make sure you have a Let's Reset+ Power Up pass from here.

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This term we'll be heading back to the swinging sixties!

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The 60s brought us so much fantastic music! Think Beatles, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, The Kinks, Motown and much more! We already have a lot of 60s songs in our repertoire - several of which have never been taught/performed live - but we'll be bringing you lots of new songs too.

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And imagine the costume potential. Think Mods and Rockers, Mary Quant, Austin Powers (Groovy, baby), flower power... start planning your outfit now!

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As previously, we're planning to hold a fantastic end-of-term concert/party in August at Tobacco Dock. We'll keep you posted with further details.

This will be our first BIG show since December 2019, so let's make it a great one.

To take part in the concert you must have completed this form and paid the concert fee (£10)

CONCERT PARTICIPATION FORM

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SELL TICKETS

This concert will only be a success if we have a good audience, so please sell, sell, sell. Ticket prices are £20-£35 and include entry to the party. All tickets are being sold by Troxy (via their ticket agent, Dice). Unlike previous concerts, we have no allocation of tickets to sell at rehearsals. Please forward this link to all your family and friends.

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Running order

Birdhouse In Your Soul
Torn
Wake Up Boo
Kiss Me
Kiss From A Rose
Sit Down
Promise Me
Barcelona

INTERVAL

Back For Good
Breakfast At Tiffany's
Runaway
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION - tba
What's Up
FINALE: Nineties Mashup


You may take your music folder/tablet onto stage with you, but it must be black - NO WHITE MUSIC SHEETS TO BE VISIBLE. So if you have a flexible folder don't be tempted to fold it round.

We'll never require you to learn everything off by heart, but many people do. It's not as hard as you think, and if you take the plunge and commit to doing the concert WITHOUT YOUR SHEET MUSIC, we can guarantee you'll have so much more fun (and it will look so much more engaging from the audience). Richard and Ben give lots of help when they're conducting and you'll be amazed how much you remember - especially if you've used the pub singing sessions to test yourself.

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Dress code

90s! Fashion, pop stars, film and tv characters - whatever you can come up with. If you're really stumped, a pair of jeans and a band t-shirt from the era will be fine. Be aware that you'll be standing for the whole concert so wear comfy shoes.

There are dressing rooms but nowhere near enough space for everyone to get changed so please, as far as possible, be wearing your concert outfit when you arrive.

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On the day

We'll have a warm-up/soundcheck at 6pm on the day of the concert, so aim to get there at 5.30ish. When you arrive please keep out of the way unless we ask you to do something specific. Richard, Kate and Ben will probably be busy sorting out last-minute issues, so try not to bother them. If you have a question, start by asking a long-term member who's done previous Troxy concerts - they will probably be able to tell you what you need.

The standing plan is now done - see below. Please study this and work out where you are. Kate will have sweated blood over this so don't complain about where you've been put. She will have done her best to accommodate any requests you made on the concert form. There are many factors that govern where you're placed, not just your height.

Now that Troxy has a proper stage most of you will be able to get into position behind the curtain. As there are only a few of you standing on the small bit of staging in front of the stage there will be no need to walk on in a particular order. Listen out for announcements telling the choir to go to the stage, and when you hear them act on them promptly. Don't make Kate come and round you up - she won't be happy.

There are security-controlled backstage dressing rooms where you can leave coats and valuables, but please don't bring anything particularly valuable with you just in case.

Standing plan

Here it is! If your name is not here and you are intending to perform in the concert, get in touch ASAP.

A couple of points for the uninitiated:
1. The background colours show which level of stage you're standing on.
2. The text colours show what voice part you are.

White background: Troxy floor level
Blue background: 2ft raised stage
Green background: Floor level of the Troxy stage
Pink background: 1ft raised stage
Yellow background: 2ft raised stage.

Cells with slightly darker shading and bold black outlines denote steps up to a higher level. Some of you will be standing on those steps.

The new Troxy stage (ie green, pink and yellow tiers) are accessed through side doors from the main hall and up some backstage stairs. The curtain will be down before the concert starts so you can find your places out of sight of the audience.

Apologies to those of you in the less favourable positions. Kate will do her best to give you a better position next time.

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SOME GENERAL POINTS

• Don’t be high-maintenance! If you have any questions first of all ask an experienced member. - Lucy, Neil, Mike etc, rather than coming straight to Richard, Kate or Ben.
• The backstage area is protected by security. Only people with the “access” wristband that you’ll be given when you first get to Troxy can go backstage, so it is reasonably safe to leave valuables (assuming LCV members are honest!). Having said that, if you don’t have to bring valuables with you please don’t.
• Listen out for announcements and act on them promptly. Don’t hang around if you’re asked to do something. Kate often has to chase around the venue to find missing choir members who are still having a drink.
• Use your common sense. If you don't have any, borrow some! :)
• Get to Troxy as close to 5:30pm as possible. We’ll then be practising from 6pm until 7pm. If you arrive after the choir has started practising, don’t stand around in the auditorium watching and chatting - leave your gear on a chair and make your way to your place straight away. It doesn’t matter if you have to squeeze past people.
• Kate will be in the auditorium if you have any questions about the standing plan or how to get onto the stage when you arrive.
• The audience is allowed in at 7pm. Because the concert is starting at 8pm you will have a little bit of time to mingle with your guests - about 45 minutes, probably - until you’re told to go to your position.
• The bars open at 7pm, but don't go overboard before the show or in the interval. We do want everyone to enjoy themselves but you’ll need your wits about you. There’s an after-show party until 2am, so there’s plenty of opportunity to let your hair down.
• A few people usually drop out at the last minute for all sorts of reasons - just use your common sense and close up any gaps on stage.
• Do remember your wallet, and be aware that drinks aren't the cheapest there.
• Please have lots of fun, but do think about how you're getting home from Troxy. Don't become someone's burden by drinking too much and then not having enough phone battery to get an Uber.
• If Kate snaps at you while she’s stressed, she apologises in advance (you probably deserve it though). ;)

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This is your opportunity to unleash that inner diva! Solo, duet, small group... big group, whatever you like.

You can sing with a backing track, accompany yourself, or ask in the Telegram Wibble group if you need an accompanist.

We've even had backing dancers in the past!

The event will cost £10 on the door for every person (whether performing or not). If you want to take part, please fill in this form to register. Your act should be no more than five minutes long - please check with Richard if yours is longer than that. We'll be limited to 25 acts. Don't worry if you don't get yours registered in time - there will be another of these next term. Please only fill in the form if you're definitely going to do it - no flakiness allowed, as you'll be taking up a space. If you're performing as part of a larger group, please don't put yourself down for that - just the person co-ordinating the group should do this.

BYO drinks and nibbles - clear or pale drinks only. No red wine! Also bring your own disposable glasses and take them away with you afterwards, along with any rubbish. The church isn't equipped to deal with waste from a great crowd of people.

Our Open Mic is being held on the evening of Sat 26 March. During the day (four hours, 11am-1pm, 2pm-4pm) I will be running a workshop called "Think you can't sing? Think again!" (also the working title of the book I'm writing). It's aimed at those people who are not confident in their singing ability at all. If you think that a lot of the time in choir you're not singing the right notes, and you're someone who would rather die than sing solo in front of people, this course is for you (and no, I'm not going to try and convince you to do so at all!).

It's for those of you who often feel out of your depth, who rely on the people sitting next to you, for those of you who are terrified of the high notes because you don't know what might come out.

We'll be looking at the reasons why some people aren't as confident as others, some myth-busting facts, and lots of practical things you can do to get better and improve your musicality.

The course is open to the public priced at £25 (plus EB fee) but you can have a 20% discount if you use the code LCVPROMO.

Let me know if you have any questions. Obviously there will be lots of group singing happening, but I will never make anyone sing solo who doesn't want to.

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This workshop is for those of you who have to position yourselves in the middle of your vocal part and who rely on the people sitting next to you in order to be able to hold on to your harmony. If you find you are often dragged off your part when you hear others singing something different, this workshop will really help you gain confidence.

If you're already signed up for the "Think you can't sing" workshop, I'd suggest that you don't book in on this one yet - I'll definitely run it again, so you'll have a chance to do so.

Venue: Rugby Tavern, Great James Street, WC1N 3ES

Time: 12-5 (one hour for lunch)

Join us for the start of our new term

This term we'll be focusing on the fabulous 90s. Come join the party!

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Songs to include:

Back For Good
Barcelona
Kiss From A Rose
Ben's brilliant Nineties Mashup... and many more!

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We're planning to hold a fantastic end of term concert in April. We'll keep you posted as to where and when.

Paddington station 6-7.30pm

We always love Christmas charity station singing, and we won't have much opportunity for it this year, so it would be great to get a good turnout for this. Bring your santa hats/antlers/christmas jumpers.

Arrive at 6pm for a 6.30pm sound check/warm up. We may ask some of you to get there earlier to help, but we'll let you know nearer the time.

There will not be a standing plan for this concert, so please be sensible about arranging yourselves. If you're tall don't insist on standing on the front row. If you're short don't hide behind someone else. You need to be able to see Richard/Ben/Lucy clearly.

You can have a discreet bottle of water with you.

Music to be in a black folder or on an iPad - no white paper to be visible.

Songs (in order)

Winter Trees
Don't You Want Me
Noel Nouvelet
Don't Let The Bells End
Mad World
Merry Christmas Everyone
Let It Go
O Holy Night (off book)
Pop Christmas Medley
Festival of Carols

Dress code

Smart, plain, single-colour dresses or tops with black trousers/skirts as appropriate. Rich, christmassy colours, shiny and sparkly as you like. Ideally red, green, gold, purple, etc. No pastels; no white; no grey; no patterns; no logos or graphics; no christmas jumpers; no checks; no stripes; no dots. If in doubt load a photo to the Telegram Wibble group and I'll say yes or no. You can don santa hats, antlers, tinsel etc for Pop Christmas Medley - but not for anything else.

There will be a room to leave bags and coats in, but there is nowhere to get changed so please come ready.

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No limit on numbers - the more the merrier. Sign up below.

We'll be singing a 45-minute set, starting at 8pm, straight after the raffle - please arrive in good time, ideally about 7pm.

Christmas repertoire plus Fields of Athenry, so make sure you've revised that.

Friends and family are very welcome to attend but they'll need to buy tickets from the LIC website.

Do stay and have a drink afterwards - bar closes 11pm.

We've been asked by the IMPA to sing some Christmassy songs around their Christmas tree at their event, and in return they're donating £1000 to Dreams Come True, which is one of the charities that we're supporting at our concerts this Christmas. No limit on numbers as far as I'm aware, but it would be great to have a big turnout.

Singing starts 6pm

2 x 20-minute sets

Let your hair down at the LCV Christmas party

We have exclusive access to the Phoenix Arts Centre (under the Phoenix Theatre on Charing Cross Road) on the evening of Monday 13 December. Come and enjoy some drinks, chat and lots of singing round their lovely piano.

Plus-ones welcome - especially if they're thinking about joining a choir!

All members who signed up can go to this. Our first performance is now a 15 minute performance in the Tower grounds on Tower Green. We then move to the Wharf for 12:30pm (which is open to the public, so you can get your friends to go there). Then we're at the East Side Tower inside the grounds at 2pm, and then the Wharf again at 3pm (so if your friends missed the first one, they can get our second performance).

Mark Anderson has kindly invited us to the Yeoman Warders Bar afterwards, from 4pm till late. He's providing a piano and I'll run a singalong there. It's a CASH BAR ONLY, so please do bring some (if you can find any!)

Arrive by 6.45pm. Doors will open to the public at 7pm. If you have also sung in the matinee concert, please DO NOT GET HAMMERED in between.

There will not be a standing plan for this concert, so please be sensible about arranging yourselves. If you're tall don't insist on standing on the front row. If you're short don't hide behind someone else. You need to be able to see Richard/Ben/Lucy clearly.

You can have a discreet bottle of water with you, but please DO NOT PUT ANYTHING ON THE ALTAR.

Music to be in a black folder or on an iPad - no white paper to be visible.

Songs (in order)

Winter Trees
Don't You Want Me
Noel Nouvelet
Don't Let The Bells End
Mad World
Merry Christmas Everyone
Let It Go
O Holy Night (off book)
Pop Christmas Medley
Festival of Carols

Dress code

Smart, plain, single-colour dresses or tops with black trousers/skirts as appropriate. Rich, christmassy colours, shiny and sparkly as you like. Ideally red, green, gold, purple, etc. No pastels; no white; no grey; no patterns; no logos or graphics; no christmas jumpers; no checks; no stripes; no dots. If in doubt load a photo to the Telegram Wibble group and I'll say yes or no. You can don santa hats, antlers, tinsel etc for Pop Christmas Medley - but not for anything else.

Please bring as little as possible in the way of bags etc, as really there is nowhere to put them. We'll probably screen off an area at the front of the church where you'll be able to leave stuff at your own risk, but it might be an idea to ask guests to look after your coat, if you have people coming to watch. We expect the concert to last between 75 and 90 minutes, with no interval. At the end of the show, we'll ask people to leave fairly quickly so that we can clear up. We'd appreciate some help with this.

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Arrive at 2.30pm, ready for sound check/warm up. If you're able to get there earlier than that, we would be grateful for a bit of help with lugging stuff about, moving chairs etc (but not standing around and getting in the way). We'll be there from around midday, I expect.

There will not be a standing plan for this concert, so please be sensible about arranging yourselves. If you're tall don't insist on standing on the front row. If you're short don't hide behind someone else. You need to be able to see Richard/Ben/Lucy clearly.

You can have a discreet bottle of water with you, but please DO NOT PUT ANYTHING ON THE ALTAR.

Music to be in a black folder or on an iPad - no white paper to be visible.

Songs (in order)

Winter Trees
Don't You Want Me
Noel Nouvelet
Don't Let The Bells End
Mad World
Merry Christmas Everyone
Let It Go
O Holy Night (off book)
Pop Christmas Medley
Festival of Carols

Dress code

Smart, plain, single-colour dresses or tops with black trousers/skirts as appropriate. Rich, christmassy colours, shiny and sparkly as you like. Ideally red, green, gold, purple, etc. No pastels; no white; no grey; no patterns; no logos or graphics; no christmas jumpers; no checks; no stripes; no dots. If in doubt load a photo to the Telegram Wibble group and I'll say yes or no. You can don santa hats, antlers, tinsel etc for Pop Christmas Medley - but not for anything else.

Please bring as little as possible in the way of bags etc, as really there is nowhere to put them. We'll probably screen off an area at the front of the church where you'll be able to leave stuff at your own risk, but it might be an idea to ask guests to look after your coat, if you have people coming to watch. We expect the concerts to last between 75 and 90 minutes, with no interval. At the end of the matinee, we'll ask people to leave fairly quickly so that we can reset for the evening show.

We've been asked to sing at this event at the Guildhall, so although it's a normal choir night, we're going to do it and use it as a bit of a dry run for some of the concert songs.

We'll be singing three songs directly after the award dinner - Mad World, Don't You Want Me, Let It Go

We can have a maximum of 60 singers - sign up via the link. If we're oversubscribed, we'll prioritise people who normally attend on a Monday, as they may not be able to attend other rehearsals.

London Bridge station 6-7.30pm

We always love Christmas charity station singing, and we won't have much opportunity for it this year, so it would be great to get a good turnout for this.

This will be a great chance to practice lots of our Christmas repertoire - and no doubt we'll be heading to a local hostelry for a warming beverage afterwards.

Bring your santa hats/antlers/christmas jumpers!

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Meet by the Christmas tree at the Tooley Street entrance. Wrap up warm!

We're meeting at Parliament Square.

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