54: Forget me not
Chorus Voices
Bill, 78, is a retired teacher of 36 years and now volunteers with Chorus. He teaches English as a Second Language at the Chorus Bull Creek Activity Centre.
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53: Getting our art on
Chorus Voices
We talk about all things art and community coming out of the Ability Arts inclusive art program in Mandurah, WA - from winning a sculpture award to the Selfie Portrait Exhibition and more!
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52: Christmas Voices 2020
Chorus Voices
In this year’s Christmas Voices Angela Johns, Mandy Waters and Judith Hatton join Dan Minchin and Louise Forster to dive into inspiring journeys of survival and recovery in 2020.
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51: Growing communities one garden at a time
Chorus Voices
What's it like to be a Chorus gardener? Pretty special actually.
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50: 50 years in the community
Chorus Voices
Episode 50 of Chorus Voices celebrates 50 years of Chorus in the community and, as it turns out, it’s our 50th episode!
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49: Teamwork: A circle of kindness
Chorus Voices
Chorus is a team of kind, caring people. In this episode Dan Minchin and Nikki Drury explore the relationship between teamwork and kindness.
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48: Home is more than a house
Chorus Voices
Krystyna likes to cook, garden and have fun with her housemate, Quack Quack 2. In this episode we learn about the journey and joy of supported independent living.
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47: A very merry unbirthday: Two more candles
Chorus Voices
In part two of Lex’s mental health journey we learn a thing or two about designing clothes for musicals as Lex takes the next step towards realising the dream of becoming a fashion designer.
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46: Men's Health Week: From darkness to colour
Chorus Voices
After an accident, professional cyclist Chek stopped eating and wanted to give up on life. One day he reached out and turned his life around.
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45: Chorus volunteers: A smile to deliver
Chorus Voices
During National Volunteer Week 2020 five Chorus volunteers take centre stage and talk about what volunteering means to them and the Chorus community. “The only thing that I can do is just give them a bit of time,” says Gary.
info_outlineWe look back on what was memorable in 2020: taking the plunge to get in the pool; leaving the house to pursue fashion design; and staying connected with the community after a paratrooper accident. We reflect on how it felt to save a life through a simple gesture of a meal delivery. At the end of 2020 we also welcomed a new family members from disability provider Kira.
In a year dominated by COVID, it was a time of adaptation and growth as we were challenged and inspired to stay connected and work safely.
“Customers were getting a bit scared of coming in. So, the team came to me and said, look, we need to look at a different way of working,” says Mandy.
“Make a plan on the Friday; change it on the Monday. That was exactly how we were working.”
We also talked to people across the Chorus community about what was memorable for them in 2020. Overwhelmingly it’s been a year of caring for each other.
“I’ve learnt compassion and understanding like I never have before,” says Susan.
“And so we've gone into this process of really major change to our organisation to make it more local, simpler to operate in, spend more time with customers, which is ultimately what our mission is all about,” says Dan.
We wish everyone the best for the festive season and next year. Enjoy the Christmas podcast and see you in 2021 on Chorus Voices.
Special thanks to our 2020 Chorus Voices:
Brian and the Ability Arts singers
Susan Cottrill
Andries Pretorius
Mary
Kathleen
Paula Cronin
Simon Humphries
Marija Babic
Tina Newman
Brian and the Ability Arts singers
Credits
Podcast Hosts: Dan Minchin and Louise Forster
Opening Voiceover: Ryan Burke
Opening Music: “Wattlebird” by Dylan Hatton Music
Producer/Editor: Judith Hatton
Audio editing: Matthew Clark
Artwork: Maddie Bull