Our Song

Creating Connection from Isolation

Shared Harmonies CIC launched ‘Our Song’ in April 2020 in response to the lockdown measures enforced by the coronavirus pandemic and to help reduce feelings of isolation. The aim was to create a sense of connection and community by engaging people in a creative project to produce a brand new song. Through a series of challenges set on social media and email, the project inspired more than 300 people to share their thoughts and ideas around human, environmental and self-connection.

The project engaged existing participants of Shared Harmonies CIC, many of whom live with long term health conditions including respiratory conditions, cancer, Parkinsons or poor mental health. People from across the country also joined in, from Saltburn in the north to Kent in the south and even a couple of people from other countries including Spain and Geneva! The youngest contributor was aged 3 and the oldest 92! Shared Harmonies also worked with activity coordinators to enable approximately 60 residents, staff and families from Rivermere and Hazelgrove Court residential care homes to take part.

People shared ideas, images, photographs, artwork and lyrics to help compose the piece and recorded films of themselves singing it to create the video.

“I am so proud of this piece of work, of the Shared Harmonies team, of every single participant and of what we have created together. I would like to thank our contributory funders; Calderdale Community Foundation and Keighley Big Local and everyone who has donated to our fundraising campaign. I have been deeply moved by the feedback received, hearing from participants how vital it has been in keeping them positive during difficult times. I hope as new people hear the song, they hear their own thoughts and feelings reflected in the lyrics and they too feel a sense of connection.”