Our History
Our choir has evolved in different forms from a more raw gospel sound through ecclesiastical, classical, and popular to find it’s place now as a recognized gospel choir.
We will perform at weddings, celebrations and for charity and hold occasional concerts in Holy Trinity Church, Salcombe where we practice each week and where the acoustics are fabulous. We have however performed as far away as Falmouth, Tiverton and more regularly in Kingsbridge. We now get many comments on how far this choir has progressed under the current leadership of Steve Dawe and how professional the choir now sound.
Audiences are impressed by the sound, the discipline and variety of performance. Whilst the songs are gospel, they can be enjoyed and interpreted by everyone regardless of faith, belief and age. The songs range from melancholy, moving and hopeful such as ‘ Hold On’ through to loud, lively and happy such as ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ and ‘Joyful’. The music can be enjoyed at different levels – for the joy of its’ sound, for its’ inclusion or for just the emotional ride. For those who follow Gods’ faith it reminds them how easy it is to worship within the songs themselves. It is a good reminder of why and how gospel music started, to lift the spirit of slaves and carry them through hard times, and similarly how it lifts the spirits of all of us in these challenging times.
We have a 20 year old sister choir based at Callington which was started and continues to be run by Steve Dawe and we perform together for larger events – the sound is fantastic.
To enquire about using our choir in your fund raising events please contact Jill Beavis j.beavis23@btinternet.com mob 07710 904938 and Steve Dawe steve@ccgc.org.uk
Below are some of our treasured memories as well as some of the lovely feedback we've received from people over the years...
Testimonials
Just a little note to say a huge thank you for your beautiful performance at our wedding. It is a day we'll never forget but made that bit more special with your beautiful performance - our guests were blown away. The day was joyous and we cannot thank you enough for your role in it! Thank you also for your guidance and support in the run up to the day.
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David and Georgina Jennings 10/06/2023
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SALCOMBE COMMUNITY CHOIR SET THE LOVE TRAIN OF 500 FULL STEAM AHEAD
Salcombe Community Gospel Choir set the Love Train performances at Falmouth Music Festival full steam ahead.
Tuesday 9 th August saw the Gospel day packed with enthusiastic music followers. Several workshops ran throughout
the day organised by the various gospel leaders and each well attended concluded with full on participation by the
audience singing, clapping and dancing. The evening performances hosted by stage and radio celebrity Johnny
Cowling was kicked off by a fabulous performance by the Salcombe Community Gospel choir. They sang from their
own repertoire and also later alongside the Callington Gospel Choir raising the roof of the massive waterside
marquee. After performances by Johnny Cowling and the hosts, Falmouth Gospel Choir, the 500 strong audience
danced late into the night to music played by DJ Kris Kool.
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Now in the 2 nd month of this Spring Term Salcombe Community Gospel Choir has once again
impressed their listeners. The choir was invited to sing at the Civic Service Celebrating the
Coronation of King Charles III on Sunday 7 th May in Holy Trinity Church. Thirty Eight of its members
followed the clear instructions of their talented choir leader Steve Dawe to lift the spirits of the
congregation and lift they did. The choir sang The Splendor of the King, Serenity and Fix You
intertwined with Amazing Grace. They were thrilled to receive the following comments from the well
known and respected church organist Trevor Becker “Please pass on huge thanks and praise to all
those who came to the special service on Sunday. The singing was absolutely wonderful: note
perfect, and every word as clear as a bell! I especially loved Chris Tomlin's How great is our God,
fantastic! I thought the whole service was deeply moving: blessings abound.”
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Dear Caroline,
On behalf of Friends of Salcombe Lifeboats I am writting to express our thanks to you and the Salcombe Gospel Choir for the tremendous concert you held to raise funds for RNLI Salcombe Lifeboats on 9th June 2016. Everyone that I have spoken to post event has told me how much they enjoyed the concert. In total you raised £2,425.37 which was a fantastic result.
Please pass on my thanks to all members of the choir,
With many thanks,
Yours sincerly
Chris Hillaby
Chairman
Friends of Salcombe lifeboats
Dear Salcombe Gospel Choir,
We just wanted to thank you so so much for your beautiful singing at our wedding on the 4th of June. It really made the church feel so full and made the ceremony so special.
You really were all so fantastic and we are so grateful for your time and effort. James and I had a fabulous wedding – made ever more so by your wonderful singing!
With Love
Helen & James
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Evening All, Today was the funeral of a Salcombe stalwart, Joan Ware. Her memorial was held in Cliff Hous eLibrary and I just want to thank those of you who sang for us there. It was so uplifting to hear your beautiful voices - many of us were feeling teary to say goodbye to such a beloved, positive and gentle soul but your presence really helped ease the sorrow with a truly memorable performance that totally resonated with her spirit, THANK YOU.
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Our first concert which had a standing ovation. The feedback has been amazing saying how we all looked and worked as a family and sounded so professional. People also commented on the clarity of our diction and the togetherness of our performance.
A comment from one of the audience. …. ’It was like you were one big family and having a party to which we all were more than welcome. Thank you’
This was all due to the passion and dedication of Steve Ruth and Grace who travel all the way from callington every week. We are so privileged to have them help us achieve the best of ourselves and bring the joy of music to Salcombe
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EVERY NOTE COUNTS AT THE CONCERT
Is it about the money? the charity? the church? - No it’s about “Everybody matters”.
Whether you sang in the choir at the concert, sang or just listened as part of the audience or were
just somewhere else in our beautiful world, maybe watching a rugby match, the Gospel songs were
sung to offer hope to you all. The choir is about community and is open to all -no audition, no pre
requisites, just sing out (in or out of tune!) like you mean it. It’s like a warm blanket that wraps itself
around you when you’re feeling little and low and provides some comfort. For the 90 minutes
singing on a Wednesday evening you put to the back of your mind the ongoing difficulties you are
dealing with. Most will say they don’t always feel like going to the practice on a winters evening but
they come and march away smiling with a ‘happy song earworm’ to carry them home.
Our concert Sat 21 st October was undoubtedly fab; the rousing applause and happy smiling faces in
the audience said it all. Within minutes of it finishing the choir were receiving messages to say
“WOW what an amazing evening”, “loved it”, “great fun and the soloists were amazing”. So when
the choir sang out “Let Us Cry Together, Let Us Shout Together, Let Us Laugh Together” - they
weren’t kidding , “Let Us Sing Together, Let Us Dance Together, So much Joy Forever” - they meant
it. Regardless of monies raised and churches paid thank you to all those who attended, to all those
who wanted to be there but couldn’t come and for all those who need their days brightening our
singing was for all of you.
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Crossing the bar
RNLI Lifeboat Disaster Centenary Concert 2016
A very special point in time for our lifeboatmen, our choir and for Salcombe as a town.
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On the morning of October 27th 1916, in the middle of the First World War, the small community of Salcombe suffered a terrible loss when the lifeboat William and Emma capsized on Salcombe Bar after returning from an abortive mission. Thirteen of the fifteen-man crew were drowned.
The lifeboat had been called out to render assistance to the Western Lass, wrecked in a storm near Prawle Point. In spite of the huge waves breaking on Salcombe Bar, the crew succeeded in getting out to sea, but on reaching the wrecked schooner, found that her crew had already been rescued by the rocket apparatus team at Prawle. Battling against near hurricane force winds the crew returned for home, but on attempting to re-cross the Bar their little craft capsized.
The disaster was one of the worst in the history of the RNLI and, for Salcombe’s close-knit community, the loss was devastating. Many of the townsfolk had seen the lifeboat capsize as it attempted to return to the safety of the harbour. For them, the sight of those brave men – husbands, brothers and sons, friends and neighbours – battling for their lives within sight of their homes, had been almost too much to bear.