Best talent across care sector competes in national final in Birmingham
Birmingham hosted the national final of Care Sector's Got Talent on Wednesday night, showcasing the best talent from care workers and people living in social care settings.
Birmingham hosted the national final of Care Sector’s Got Talent at the NEC last night on Wednesday 8th October.
The competition, organised by Championing Social Care, brought together performers from across the care sector, including care workers and people living in social care settings.
The eight finalists included a care worker who has turned his passion for rap into a celebration of life in a care home, a care worker performing Prince’s Purple Rain on the piano blindfolded, and a care home choir taking on Queen’s anthems.
Ray, one of the contestants in the Avery Songbirds choir, from Beckenham Park Care Home, Beckenham, said he enjoyed the experience, and went into the performance with the attitude: “We haven’t got a lot of life left – while we’ve got it let’s use it.”
His partner, Doreen, who he met at the care home about two years ago, said she felt “excited” and “privileged” to sing their melody of Queen hits in the final.
Sorrell O'Sullivan, a Wellbeing Assistant at Beckenham Park said she started the Avery Songbirds to show everyone that “life carries on when you get in a care home, and it’s not all about Vera Lynn.”
Organisers said this year saw the largest number of applications in the competition’s six-year history.
They said they wanted to showcase the breadth of talent, creativity and personality across the social care community.
The finalists performed live in front of an audience of 500 care and healthcare professionals, with the winner receiving £5,000, and the runner-up getting a £1,000 talent development fund.
After their performance, a member of the dance group New Centre Stage, from New Directions’ South Hub, Bootle, said: “‘I really enjoyed the atmosphere. The audience were amazing and the judges were fantastic.”
The winner will be announced publicly in the full talent show broadcast on the Care Sector’s Got Talent’s YouTube channel on Friday 9 October at 2.30pm, giving care homes and organisations across the UK the chance to watch and celebrate the finalists.