Valleys Choir, Only Boys Aloud, has accepted a female into the all boy group. Jennifer Hill has been appointed as the choir’s Head of Community Affairs to help oversee increased interest in the initiative, which includes over 200 members.
Launched by Only Men Aloud and The Valleys Heart and Soul campaign in April 2010, Only Boys Aloud has gone from strength to strength since their first live performance at the National Eisteddfod in Ebbw Vale. The boys have gone on to perform at the opening concert of the Ryder Cup and appeared alongside stars including Dame Shirley Bassey, Katherine Jenkins and Lostprophets.
Made up of ten regional choirs, the boys are trained at weekly rehearsals led by members of Only Men Aloud at rugby clubs around The Valleys, including in Caerphilly.
In her new role, funded by The Valleys Heart and Soul campaign, Jennifer will work with schools across The Valleys to encourage more boys aged between 14 and 19 to get involved and maintain the current high attendance records.
Jennifer’s role also involves having a strategic overview of the many projects involving Only Boys and Only Kids Aloud involving a diverse range of organisations and individuals including sponsors and community organisations.
Having worked at St David’s Hall and run a youth project and community choir for Welsh National Opera, Cardiff-based Jennifer brings with her a wealth of experience in the arts and youth sector.
Jennifer said: “It’s an absolute joy to be working on the project, Only Men Aloud are so passionate and fun to work with and it’s inspiring to see how much the boys look up to them. There is an opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of so many young men in The Valleys, and I’m excited to be a part of this brilliant project.
“The best part of the job so far has been seeing the boys perform and seeing the impact that the project has had on their lives in such a short period of time. It really does pull at the heart strings.
“Being part of Only Boys Aloud demonstrates what they can achieve if they commit to something. It’s a huge confidence builder and helps them mix with a variety of characters and make new friends. It also provides them with positive role models and what’s more it gives them exciting life experiences, such as visiting new places and meeting famous faces!”
David Fortley from Only Men Aloud, who runs the Caerphilly rehearsal group, said: “It’s an exciting time for Only Boys Aloud as they’ve just recorded a duet with us for our new Christmas album. They’ll also be icing on the Christmas cake when they are join us for the final date of our arena tour on Saturday December 17 at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena.
“With such a busy schedule Jennifer will play a crucial role in managing the high level of interest in the group while creating new opportunities for other boys to get involved.”
Only Boys Aloud is still open to new members between the ages of 14 and 19.
Visit www.onlyboysaloud.com for more information.
The Valleys Heart and Soul is funded by the Welsh Government and is a three year campaign led by partnership organisations from the Western Valleys, Heads of the Valleys and Valleys Regional Park.