Steve, Birmingham

What is your favourite moment at The Choir with No Name?

My favourite moment so far with CWNN has got to be Christmas at the Cadogan Hall, which was absolutely epic! I wore this blue Christmas snow man suit and had a solo from the Grinch song – it was a beautiful moment.

How have you benefitted from being part of The Choir with No Name Birmimgha?

If you’re looking for a family that you’ve never had, choir is the place to be - that’s what it’s been for me. Living in Birmingham away from everybody, I had no family and the choir filled that part of my life. Sally, our choir manager, is my choir mum and Pete, our choir director, is like our dad. It’s lovely!

Have you made any friends at Choir?

At Choir everybody’s welcoming and we like to look after each other. I enjoy feeling like I can offer some support and guidance to other members, because I’ve been where they are. Since being in the choir I’ve managed to get through a difficult part of my life and now I feel able to say to others ‘this is what you can do, because this is what worked for me’. I feel I can offer that support not as a volunteer, or as a person in authority in the choir, more as just another choir member who’s managed to turn his life around.

Tell us, do you work?

When I started coming to the choir, I was a resident at a treatment centre and now a year on, I worked in that treatment centre helping people who have suffered addiction problems for the majority of their life.

What has changed in your life since joining choir?

Since joining choir so much has changed for me. I’ve recently got engaged. I’ve found somebody who actually loves me for me and that’s a wonderful thing. It’s really nice to start living a ‘normal’ life. Since I’ve been part of the choir, my life has grown week by week, month by month.

Because of the choir I’ve been on TV! I have been on the news, I’ve been on the politics show, I’ve got to go and watch Comic Relief being filmed, so yes, the Choir with No Name has definitely opened up a lot of doors for me.

How does The Choir with No Name support you?

At the Choir with No Name it’s not about what you know, but who you know, really. You’ve got a direct person to speak to for all types of help with things like addiction, struggles with not having a family, sleeping rough or financial insecurity. And now, I can support the newer members into realising that it’s ok and there’s stuff we can do together.