Hebburn choir celebrates rapid growth and major milestones on its first anniversary
A Hebburn choir is celebrating a successful first year.
Raise Your Voice Hebburn is celebrating its first birthday as it emerges as one of the North East’s fastest-growing community music groups.
Over the course of the last year, the community choir has transformed from a group of around 35 singers into an impressive 76-member ensemble that performs across the North East.
The choir faced closure at the start of 2025 but since it relaunched last May, it has appeared on regional BBC platforms, performed at Beamish, Jarrow Focus and Newcastle Cathedral, released its first Christmas single and has been invited to sing at the Sunderland Empire.
The revival of the choir began when its members were told the group would close unless someone stepped forward to lead it.
Becky Smith, the choir director at Raise Your Voice Hebburn, originally joined as a singer but has since guided the group through a year of rapid growth.
She commented: “This year has shown what can happen when people come together with joy, commitment and a shared love of singing.
“The achievements belong to the whole choir — every person who turns up, supports each other and helps create something bigger than themselves.”
Raise Your Voice Hebburn will celebrate its first birthday with a special rehearsal on May 5, followed by a choir party at Jordan’s Bar, on Brighton Parade.
The choir remains open to new members as it continues to provide an inclusive, non‑auditioned space for people to find their voice.
The next intake will be on May 19 - anyone who wishes to join should register their interest at: https://raiseyourvoicemusic.co.uk/.