Alkermes choir hitting the right notes for charity event

An Athlone pharmaceutical firm has been alive with the sound of music in recent weeks.

The staff choir at Alkermes in Monksland has been staging weekly lunchtime rehearsals in preparation for a 'Choir Factor' fundraiser which is being held in Clarinbridge on Saturday, April 13.

Between 20 and 30 employees are in the Alkermes Allegro Choir, including Mullingar native Niamh Sinnott who spoke about the "uplifting" feeling that comes from being part of it.

"It's great for wellbeing and morale," she told the Westmeath Independent.

"When we're rehearsing people really get to 'check out' for that hour, because all you can do is focus on the piece of music that you're doing. You forget about work during that time."

By taking part in the upcoming 'Choir Factor' event, the local group will be helping to raise funds for the SCCUL Sanctuary in Clarinbridge, which offers therapeutic support days to people who are facing difficult challenges in their lives.

Groups which use this sanctuary in the county Galway village include Esker House in Athlone, mental health support groups, COPE Galway, and Family Carers Ireland.

The SCCUL Sanctuary also recently entered into a partnership with Multiple Sclerosis Ireland's Midlands office, which will result in groups coming to the sanctuary from Westmeath, Longford, Laois and Offaly.

William Browne, Coordinator of the SCCUL Sanctuary, emphasised the ‘growing need’ for such facilities.

“The funds from Choir Factor are used directly to provide groups with therapeutic support days which include therapies such as gentle-seated yoga, mindfulness, gardening and art therapy," he said.

"The SCCUL Sanctuary is also available for private hire which also helps fund the therapeutic support days.”

The Alkermes Allegro Choir has been active "on and off" for the last three years.

Niamh said its rehearsals are held at lunchtime because some of the staff commute to Athlone from as far afield as Swords, Carlow, and parts of Mayo, so gathering outside of the working day generally isn't practical.

"There's a real mix of people, from across the company, taking part in the choir. Five of our senior leadership team are involved, so it brings together people who normally wouldn't get to interact during the course of their working week," she explained.

Andrius Kozlovskis, the Director of the Athlone Choral Society, has been working with the Alkermes choir and Niamh said the material they perform encompasses everything from centuries-old religious music to contemporary pieces from 'The Greatest Showman' and 'A Star Is Born'.

The 'Choir Factor' event isn't the first time the choir has helped to support a good cause, and last September it was one of several choirs from the Midlands which sang in Dublin's Heuston Station on World Suicide Prevention Day.

Niamh has been working for Alkermes for almost four years now and she said the choir was a great place to meet people within the company.

"A lot of new (employees) would join the choir now in order to get to know people. It's a great way of making different connections at work," she said.

The annual 'Choir Factor' event is taking place in Kilcornan Hall, Clarinbridge, on April 13 at 7.30pm.

In addition to the Alkermes Allegro Choir, the participating choirs are: The GMIT Workplace Choir, High Fidelity, Local Vocals – a joint initiative between Galway City and County Councils, and Medtronic Harmonics.