About the Choir
The choir was formed in March 1978 when a group of some twenty five police officers and one civilian police employee met at Kent Police Headquarters for an inaugural meeting with the late Gerry Hughes, then a serving officer. Gerry had earlier been involved with a glee club of male and female singers, but by this time it had disbanded. He was present with the then Chief Constable, Barry Pain QPM, at a concert given by the Kent Police Band just before Christmas 1977 which also featured as guests, the West Midlands Police Choir. Gerry remarked 'We could do as well as that' and was given tacit permission to form a police choir. Following its formation, the choir appeared successfully for around four years and the baton was then passed to the present Director of Music, David Vening, one of our early members who has an impressive musical education and background. The original accompanists to the choir, Jack Godden and Jack Goodsall, were replaced by a regular accompanist and the choir went from strength to strength, becoming known for its quality performances throughout the County. Around 1988 our accompanist was replaced by not one, but two pianists. The services of the highly qualified Wendy Heaton, were complemented by those of Ann Parnham, another talented music teacher. This duo was created in order that one accompanist would always be available and the system worked splendidly, with the ladies also playing piano duets at many concerts. Ann has now moved to Cumbria and Wendy now carries the sole responsibility of looking after us. The choir these days has forty nine singing members and extends a welcome to anyone to come and join us at a rehearsal at Kent Police Headquarters, Maidstone, on most Thursday evenings. We perform for charitable causes all over Kent and the choir has travelled frequently to Wales, Cornwall, Suffolk, Sussex and mainland Europe. It has visited Germany as guests of the towns of Saarbrucken, Monschau, Waltrop (twinned with Herne Bay), Sonsbeck (twinned with Sandwich) and Bad Munstereifel (twinned with Ashford). Visits with our wives and partners have been made to sing in Nijmegen in the Netherlands. Memorable events for the choir have been its appearances twice at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the 'Festival of Police Choirs', singing with some ten thousand choristers at Cardiff Arms Park together with Shirley Bassey and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, making an appearance on Harry Secombe's 'Highway' television programme, singing on BBC local radio for 'Children in Need' and many more. Perhaps though for many members and their families, singing on three occasions at the 'Last Post' ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium, were the most moving occasions of all. A packed, hushed crowd at these ceremonies were clearly moved and entranced by the choir's performance of pieces such as 'Crimond' and 'Steal Away'. Finally, our sincere thanks go to the long suffering wives, sweethearts, partners and families who give us such tremendous support. |