ITV’s Cold Feet choir led by Wrexham community choir musical director

A community choir musical director from Wrexham has recently starred in a hit ITV series.

Carol Donaldson, who is also co-founder of Wrexham Community Choir appeared in the recent series of ITV’s popular TV show, Cold Feet when the character Jenny, played by Fay Ripley joins a choir for cancer patients.

The choir is a real choir, led by Carol at Christies’ Hospital in Manchester for people affected by cancer.

Carol who attended Grove Park School and Yale College in Wrexham said: “It all started about a year ago when the series creator and the director of Cold Feet came along to my Christie Hospital Choir session.

“I welcomed them like any other new choir member and although they insisted they would not be joining in, and were only coming to observe, I did my usual thing of getting them involved.

After not long, they were singing their hearts out and were very visibly moved by the end of the session. ”

“We recorded and filmed over four days at the end of May 2018 during the heat wave.

“The crew and cast treated us beautifully but every time we sang they would all cry. Fay Ripley who plays Jenny, joins the choir, so we spent most of our time with her.

“She was absolutely lovely – a very warm genuine person and so talented! She’s also a great singer. She loved being part of our choir and has been quoted saying ‘I loved the choir experience on Cold Feet so much. Filming it was such a lovely and uniting experience’

“There was no acting involved on my part – I just did what I always do.

I’m so pleased the programme has handled the issue of cancer so sensitively – they really did their research and worked closely with Christie’s Hospital.

“They could have created a shiny TV choir rather than use a real ‘cancer choir’ like mine and I’m especially thrilled that millions of viewers will see how uniting and uplifting being in a choir is and how singing together is great for body, mind and spirit.”

Carol has led community choirs for almost 20 years and is also an accomplished composer, singing workshop leader and Musical Director for theatre, radio and television. She believes leading community singing should be accessible to all and that everyone has a voice but are often inhibited about using it.

She says “Singing in harmony together boosts the immune system and endorphins, de-stresses, and creates joy, connection, community and harmony.

“In my work with choirs, I introduce accessible songs, old and new, from all around the world with 3 / 4 part harmonies – where everyone, from unsure beginners to seasoned singers create a wonderful group sound and feel a sense of well being and togetherness”

Anyone who wants to experience the benefits of singing with Carol can join Wrexham Community Choir singing practices every Tuesday from 7.30pm during term time at Tŷ Pawb in Wrexham.

The choir is open to everyone of all age and experience. There’s no auditions, no need to read music – just simply turn up and sing.

They will also host a singing workshop and concert by international world singers, Northern Harmony from Vermont, USA on 5th March at Ty Pawb and are participating in the UK Street Choir Festival in Manchester in June 2019.