In good voice: the Croydon Male Voice Choir offered to perform for free at the Whitgift Centre to raise funds for charities – just as they have done for more than 10 years
Members of one of the borough’s leading choirs have declared the Westfield managers of the Whitgift Centre as “Scrooges” for banning them from raising funds for local charities by singing carols in the shopping mall in the days before Christmas.
The Croydon Male Voice Choir has entertained Christmas visitors to the Whitgift Centre for the past 10 years or more by performing a selection of songs in the Christmas spirit. The two performances have always attracted good audiences, and even helped the choir recruit new members.
The choir appeared twice in each Christmas period, raising thousands of pounds for charities including Crisis at Christmas, which supports the homeless, Croydon Vision, which assists the visually impaired, and Croydon Council’s Just Giving Fund for victims and families of the Sandilands tram crash.
But not this year.
“Those wonderful people who run the shopping centre have said, ‘No’,” a source at the choir told Inside Croydon. “What a bunch of Scrooges!”
In September, Kimball Ormond, the CMVC chair, emailed the Whitgift Centre, now under control of developers Westfield, asking to arrange this year’s dates. For reference, he mentioned the official at the centre who had overseen the bookings in 2023.
After some delay, eventually, Ormond got an anonymised response from “Enquiries, Centrale”.
The Croydon Male Voice Choir was invited to enter the shopping centre’s “Christmas Carol Competition!” There are three categories, including one for “Community Groups”, with performances on December 4, 5 and 6, and a cash prize of £500 for each.
Which was all very well, but the Croydon Male Voice Choir was hoping to give a couple of free-of-charge performances to raise some much-needed cash for community causes, just as they have done since before Westfield had ever expressed any interest in Croydon.
Ormond replied, offering again to give “a free, charity concert” on the same lines as before. There was no reply.
Ormond asked again if the choir could go ahead. Then came this reply, again from “Enquiries, Centrale”: “Hello Kimball, We are only running the Christmas Competition this year.
“Kind regards…”
Ormond was dumbfounded. When he informed his choir colleagues, they were equally astonished at this astonishing display of meanness.
“It’s a smack in the face for both the choir and all the local charities we have helped over the years,” one singer said.
Fortunately, for those who want to see the choir, an alternative is close at hand, one which springs from a charitable spirit. On Saturday, November 16, the choir will be joining with two other local groups in a performance to be staged at Croham Hurst Golf Club, South Croydon.
The performance – Together for Iain – is to benefit a member of both CMVC and the Molly Dancers, who was recently diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
The proceeds are intended to assist Iain with the costly modifications which are required in his home as a result of his rapidly declining mobility. Admission is £15 (cash, please) on the door on the night.
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