Tonight (Wednesday) Cheshire Fire Choir performs with global singing sensation Leona Lewis in ITV1 Christmas special ‘A Night for the Emergency Services’.
The show, which starts at 9pm, features talented members of the 999 services alongside stars including Michael Ball, Alfie Boe and, of course, Leona, who came to fame after winning the third series of The X Factor in 2006.
Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity and Tokio Myers are also in the programme which celebrates the incredible work of the emergency services as a thank you for everything they do. Performers are drawn from police, fire, ambulance and lifeboat services.
As well as the choir performing in the studio, the show’s host, Ashley Banjo from Diversity, spent a day at Lymm Fire Station filming with White Watch, who also feature in the show.
Cheshire Fire Choir has been in fine voice over the last few months, singing and representing Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) at a number of high profile events with their network television appearance a fitting end to their successful year.
Choir chair Tom Daniels said: “It has been a fantastic year for us with great opportunities for us to support the work of the emergency services. Probably the most poignant performance for us all was when we sang our signature tune The Rising at the 10th Anniversary Memorial Service in Warwickshire for the Atherstone on Stour fire, in which four firefighters lost their lives tackling a warehouse blaze.”
Warwickshire Station Commander Neil McElvenny wrote afterwards: “Many different things made the service what it was, and again just one of these was the presence of the Cheshire Fire Choir whose performances were stunning and moving in equal measure.”
Another moving appearance was at Lambeth Palace where the choir was invited to sing at the presentations of the Firefighters Memorial Trust medals. Medals were presented to the immediate next of kin of those members of fire and rescue services who have died as a result of their duties.
The Fire Fighters Charity (FFC) was the chosen beneficiary of the Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAs), which recognise women in business from across the north west. The choir was a natural choice to be invited to perform at the ceremony at the Winter Gardens Blackpool where, coincidentally, Cheshire colleague, Widnes firefighter Patrick McBride, was in the audience in his guise as the Cadbury Milk Tray Man!
A little closer to home, they performed in the beautiful setting of Eaton Hall for the Lord Mayor of Chester’s charity dinner and took part in the Macclesfield Christmas Lights switch-on.
