Here you will find brief details of, and links by region to, the growing list of participating choirs.  If you wish to get in touch with a choir, please refer to their website for contact details.

If you wish to join the Network, then please visit the Join Us page to send us details of your choir.

Having joined the Network, many choirs choose to make a voluntary donation of £20 pa to cover the Network’s running costs, largely printing, banners and the website, but also to build up its resources to organise larger events in the future. Choirs are free, however, to donate less or more according to their individual circumstances.

You can pay by BACS or set up a standing order to:
Bolton Clarion Community Choir
Sort code: 08-92-99
Acc no.: 65468315
Reference (CCN plus your choir’s name)

On this page: Cymru / Wales – East Anglia – East Midlands – London – North East – North West – Scotland – South East – South West – West Midlands

Cymru / Wales

Côr Cochion Caerdydd (Cardiff)

Côr Cochion enigmatically tell us they ‘support many organisations’. [That’s a gross oversimplification – their name translates as ‘Cardiff Reds Choir’. – Ed]. You can find out more about them on their website.

Musical Director: Wendy Lewis

Côr Gobaith (Aberystwyth)

Côr Gobaith, Choir of Hope, was born out of Social Forum Cymru in Aberystwyth in 2006 to sing for peace and justice. You can find us in the streets of Aberystwyth on the last Saturday of every month, singing against wars waged in our name and collecting money for appropriate causes, most regularly Médecins Sans Frontières, and we join in other actions locally, nationally and internationally. We are always open to new members, joint ventures….. more.

Musical Director: Nest Howells

East Anglia

Sing With Pride (Norwich)

We are a choir from the LGBT community for everyone. We sing in harmony to celebrate diversity and challenge inequality. Our members include people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans, as well as friends, family and supporters.

Musical director: Mary Lovett

East Midlands

Hope Sings Eternal (Louth)

Location: https://w3w.co/amps.clings.novelist

Musical Director: Tamsin Hunkin

CCN Contact: Tamsin Hunkin (tamsinhunkin@gmail.com)

Nottingham Clarion Choir

Formed in 1988 for the one off English Rebels project – we enjoyed singing so much that we stayed together, and over 30 years later are still going strong. We sing songs of celebration and protest supporting movements and organisations for democratic change, human rights, peace and the environment. We are a broad socialist choir but are not affiliated to any one political party.

Location: https://what3words.com/gave.hint.basic

Red Leicester

Red Leicester is a socialist choir which began as a Workers’ Educational Association evening class, Songs of Struggle and Celebration from Around the World, and became an independent choir in 1996. Our broad repertoire encompasses historical and contemporary songs expressive of social and political protest, and worldwide celebration, struggle and change. We perform in both the local community and more widely in support of national and international causes and also busk in aid of different groups every month. We are regular and enthusiastic performers at the Street Choirs Festival, which we hosted in Leicester in 2016, and our members are often to be seen (and heard!) at national demonstrations and protests.

Location: https://what3words.com/target.labs.units

Musical Director: Jane Bursnall

London

Raised Voices

Political choir established in 1986, rehearsing on Thursday evenings near Kings Cross, London.  We busk and sing for peace, justice and the environment, against militarism, capitalism, racism and sexism at political events, demonstrations, performances and festivals.  The choir is run as a collective, and employs a musical leader.

Red and Green Voices (N W London)

Red and Green Choir is a political choir that sings songs about social justice, peace and environmental issues.  Lots more information on the website.

Rise Up Singing (East London)

We are not a choir but a group of people meeting once a month to learn songs and chants to sing and shout in protest against the politics of greed, violence and division. We don’t use sheet music or rehearse for performance as our primary aim is to sing (and shout) with the confidence and conviction that encourages everyone around us to join in. Everyone is welcome at our workshops and everyone is welcome to join us wherever we sing.

Strawberry Thieves (S E London)

We are a choir of about 25 people based in South-East London. We sing at demos, labour movement meetings, birthday parties and at festivals of political song. Our repertoire draws on modern songs, as well as the wealth of political song which chronicles the history of struggle over the centuries, both in Britain and abroad.

Well Red Choir

Well Red Choir is a London-based socialist choir, founded in 2020. We campaign for social justice, human rights, the environment and a peaceful world in which all life is valued. Find out more and get in touch at wellredchoir.co.uk.

North East incl Yorkshire

Commoners’ Choir

Commoners’ Choir, directed by Boff Whalley, rehearse in Leeds and are around 2 years old. We sing only original songs and have sung at various events and demonstrations. More details on the website.

Making Waves (Cullercoats)

Making Waves is a left/green campaigning choir singing songs of peace, civil rights, freedom and green issues. Open to all – no auditions. So if you sing or write music or lyrics you are welcome to join us. Sing every other Tuesday eve at Cullercoats Fisherman’s Mission. 5 mins from metro.

Innocent Bystanders

Based in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, Innocent Bystanders is a group of 20 women who sing songs about climate change and peace issues, protest and celebration with a cappella arrangements to suit our voices and tailored to local events.

Musical Director and CCN Contact: Gilly Love (gillylove2@gmail.com)

Sheffield Socialist Choir

Sheffield Socialist Choir has been singing for 25 years – for freedom, justice and peace around the world. We are not affiliated to any political party but sing in support of campaigns which are in harmony with our vision.  In the present political climate, we have much to sing about. We are increasing our repertoire to reflect our support for the campaigns that are tackling current issues.

Musical Director: Janet Wood

Tadhamon Singers (Sheffield)

Tadhamon Singers were formed in 2018. We chose our name as Tadhamon is the Arabic word for ‘solidarity’.  We are a group of women who sing in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. In 2022 we toured the West Bank and Nazareth, singing in refugee camps, cultural centres, streets and cafes, singing with Palestinians and making lasting connections. 

As we travelled, Palestinians kept asking us one thing: “please share our story”.   We do this through performances, song workshops, solidarity actions, small events, online talks and sharing our blog from the trip.  We are committed to supporting the struggle for justice and equality for Palestine by engaging in activism in the UK against the injustices of the Israeli Apartheid regime.

Location: Practice venue – Portland Works, Randall St., Sheffield (https://what3words.com/gloves.loose.senior

Musical Director: Janet Wood

CCN Contacts: Leni Solinger (lenisolinger43@gmail.com)/Diane McKinlay (d.mckinlay@icloud.com)

Whitby Community Choir

Our choir was formed in 2004-5 by a small group of people who gathered together to sing simply for the love of it – no leader, no auditions and certainly with no intention of performing. However the love of singing soon led to sharing their singing with others in the community, at local events. Then in 2006, founder members Richard and Mary encouraged a very small group to go to the Street Choir Festival at the Sage Gateshead, and they caught the bug! The choir was then represented at Manchester in 2007 and Brighton in 2008, with the Street Choir Festival forming a key date in its musical calendar. In 2009 the choir hosted the festival in Whitby.

We regularly fundraise for various causes including Justice First and some of our members are engaged in activist activities to support asylum seekers.

Today the choir has grown to around 25 members, meets on Wednesday evening 7.15-9.00, performs regularly in the local area.

Musical Director: Rebecca Gross

North West

Bolton Clarion Choir

We are located at the Bolton Socialist Club and we welcome all adults! (16+) No singing experience needed, just come along and have a sing!

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East Lancs Clarion Choir (Burnley)

We are an acappella choir singing usually in 4 part harmony and don’t have auditions to join. We meet weekly on Wednesday evenings (term time) to sing songs illustrating the fight of workers against oppression, songs of socialism, folk songs, the struggle for freedom and justice, songs from around the world and songs for peace.

Musical Director: Janet Russell

Kadenza (Horwich and Bolton)

Kadenza includes women of all ages from 20s to 70s, some with disabilities and from varied backgrounds. We are open and inclusive to all. Many in the group have never sung in a choir before. Songs are taught by ear so you don’t need to read music. There are currently about 25 members.

Liverpool Socialist Singers

We are a group of singers with socialist ideals. We stand with those who call for peace, oppose fascism and support the rights of workers. Music has been used by the working class for centuries both to tell their stories and to unite them in the struggle against oppression in all its forms. We are part of that tradition and welcome new recruits to our rehearsals and appearances. We are an inclusive choir-no auditions! just come along to rehearsals and sing. We sing at community events, demonstrations, political rallies and street festivals.

Manchester Community Choir

We have just come of age as a choir! It’s 21 years since we formed and we’ve grown to over a hundred singers. Our musical directors have been Faith Watson & Jules Gibb, Carol Donaldson, then Liz Powers. Since September 2019 our talented, enthusiastic MD is Rose Hodgson, who also sings with the acapella group the Lovenotes.

Our songs reflect our values of respect for the world and its peoples, and a belief in freedom, fairness and peace. We have no connection with any political parties or religious denominations. Our songs come from all around the world, and are sung in four-part harmonies.

We sing in support of good causes and to raise money for charity on street corners in the rain, in the deep end of the Victoria Baths, at other events in Greater Manchester and at the annual Street Choirs Festival.

Musical Director: Rose Hodgson

CCN Contact: Lizzie Gent (lizzie42gent@gmail.com)

Quarternotes (Manchester)

More details here.

Contact for individuals in the Manchester area

Contact Barry if you are interested in Campaign Choirs

RabbleRousers (Lancaster)

This is a new (early 2018) all comers’ choir singing political ‘classics’, ready for relevant events. Meet 1st Saturday of the month in Lancaster.  Contact by email here.  Or there’s a facebook group.

Scotland

Protest in Harmony (Edinburgh)

PIH mets once a month to sing for justice and equality. We regularly sing on the streets or are invited to support just causes. The choir has been established for well over 10 years and has a healthy attendance.

South East

Didcot Red Kites

Didcot Red Kites is a small, friendly group of active socialists who
meet together to sing songs of struggle and solidarity, old and new. We
take our songs onto picket lines and street protests, to labour movement events
and anti-war actions. We’re always more at home getting people singing
than we are ‘performing’.

Open to all who align with our values – no auditions. So if you sing –
or want to – you are welcome to join us. We meet weekly in Didcot on
Sunday afternoons, except the first Sunday of the month when we sing in
Oxford.

Location: https://w3w.co/basically.toxic.folders

Musical Director: N/A (we’re winging it!)

CCN Contact: Celia Wilson (celia@orchardox.co.uk)

Las Pasionarias (Hastings, Kent)

Women who sing songs of Peace, Justice and Solidarity. We believe a better world is possible.  More details including how to contact us here shortly.

Sea Green Singers (Oxford)

The Sea Green Singers are a community singing group based in Oxford. The group was formed after a class arranged by the Oxford Workers’ Education Association (WEA), and it’s been going for about 10 years.

We sing at events supporting peace and social justice around Oxfordshire. We’ve sung “alternative” carols for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.We’ve run workshops at Campsfield Detention Centre to meet refugees and cheer the inmates and sung outside in support of the campaign to get it closed. We’ve performed at Fair Trade and Green Fairs, we’ve marched on demonstrations, we’ve supported environment and allotment open days.

 The group is named after the colour of the ribbons worn by the Levellers, a radical movement in Cromwell’s New Model Army. The Levellers believed in equality for all, justice, and human rights.

Musical Director: Sarah Westcott

UpRoar (Brighton and Hove)

Uproar sing songs of hope, heroism and harmony, including former members of Red and Green Singers and TubThumpers.  Lots of information on our website.

South West

Dorset Red (Bridport)

We are a broad collection of socialist and progressive-inspired people who are developing a repertoire of songs expressive of social and political  protest to sing at trade union, anti-racist, environmental and progressive events. We have performed at a number of local events in Bridport and are appearing at the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival next year.  We welcome all like-minded people to join us without audition and we hope to join other network choirs  in national initiatives.

CCN Contact: Barry Lovejoy (B.lovejoy@btinternet.com)

Red Notes Socialist Choir (Bristol)

Red Notes is a Bristol based socialist choir campaigning for peace, justice, freedom

and internationalism.  We use the streets of Bristol and further afield to spread our message.  We support organisations that share our ideals, eg Trades Unions, Oxfam, Amnesty International.  We are not affiliated to any political party and we welcome members of any faith or none.  We share musical director responsibility collectively.

Voices of Freedom (Totnes)

Activist street choir singing songs to inspire creative change for a more socially and environmentally just world.

West Midlands

Birmingham Clarion Singers

Birmingham’s socialist choir – singing for peace, justice and equality since 1940 and continuing into the twenty first Century with songs and music from a long established workers’ tradition. We have a wide repertoire, from folk to classical,  ballads to African choral works.

We meet every Wednesday evening during term time. The Clarion Singers regularly sing at events for peace, workers’ rights and union members.

Coventry and Warwickshire Sing for Change (Coventry)

Set up in 2018, Sing for Change is a singing and music group which meets to sing songs of celebration and protest, reflecting current issues and supporting movements for change, human rights, peace and the environment. Why not come along without committing yourself, to see what it’s all about – it’s very informal – no auditions, no singing experience needed?
Just bring along your ideas, enthusiasm or curiosity.

Contact: singforchangetoday@gmail.com and 07770339546

Contact for individuals in Coventry area

You’re welcome to get in touch with Mig Kerr if you’re in the Coventry area.

Your choir not listed yet?

Please use the join us form to send us details.