Welcome to our charity newsletter resource area. We will use this page to collate the updates, resources and events that we share with you in the charity newsletter.

PROJECT UPDATES

SFE Community Choir

Sessions started again in September, with new members joining the group which was great to see. The group continues to offer a weekly highlight for members, with some special performances taking place, including Remembrance Day and a couple of Christmas Concerts, at their own Hagley Road village, but also another local one. Our ‘new’ Head of Music, Richard, paid the group a visit in November and the team are currently looking at the possibility of introducing similar groups at other Extracare Villages in the area so more people can experience the joy of singing.

Birmingham Inclusive Choir

Our Birmingham Inclusive Choir had a wonderful time earlier this year, joining some of our Music Ensembles on stage for our outdoor festival in May, as well as their usual monthly sessions. Unfortunately, we have had to pause our Inclusive Choir sessions for a short time at the start of this term due to funding, and are currently fundraising to enable them to continue after Christmas. Our Inclusive Choir is for young people with disabilities to engage in music making and singing. Working with Soundabout, monthly choir sessions are so valuable to members, their parents/carers and siblings, so we hope to be able to bring sessions back as soon as possible.

Music Cares

Working with Birmingham Virtual School, our Music Cares programme picked up again in September, working with over 100 children in care across Birmingham. By engaging the children in music, we help them engage positively with the world around them through the support of the schools and adults working with them. The team attended a conference in November to promote the project to schools, so hope to engage more schools and pupils in the coming months, as pupils work towards their individual targets and performance opportunities at the end of the year.

If you would like to be part of what we do and donate to support our work >>

Fundraising Events & Merchandise

Following 2023’s success, 2024’s Festive Raffle raised over £500, and the results created some VERY happy winners!

This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of businesses across the city (and some further afield) who donated prizes, so a big thank you to them.

We also raised just over £400 through our festive collections, with our pink buckets out in force at our Ensembles concerts, as well as our online giving and ‘Gift of Christmas’ campaign.

It’s not too late to join the efforts and make a donation towards our festive fundraising >>

To keep up to date with our fundraising events, please follow our social media channels.

SFE Merchandise

It’s been an exciting time for us as we have introduced some new SFE merchandise over the last few months.

Our SFE Ensembles apparel launched at our Summer Proms in July, with hoodies and t-shirts being delivered to their new owners in September. Available in a range of colours, we have loved seeing our ensemble members wearing them to rehearsals. It has been great working with Birmingham-based Wave-Ed on this project, with the shop opening again in November and December, in time for our Festive Concerts. With each sale, at least £7 comes to SFE as a donation, raising valuable funds for us.

We have also re-introduced our Bear-thoven bear, alongside other SFE merchandise including pin badges, tote bags and pens, which were available at our Concerts that take place throughout the year.

Some of the items will be available at our concerts, to buy and take home with you. For the SFE Ensembles hoodies and t-shirts there will be samples at the concerts, but these must be ordered online via the link.

ONLY available AT THE CONCERT to buy from our Fundraising team

Our SFE teddy stands at 9″ high, complete with SFE branded t-shirt.

£12 each including VAT

CE labeled, conforming with European health, safety, and environmental protection standards.
Sold as a ‘toy’ and deemed safe for children aged 14 and under.

SFE Ensembles Hoodies & T-Shirts Available

As some of your will have seen, we have introduced a range of SFE Ensembles hoodies and t-shirts, available in a range of colours, with or without personalisation. In collaboration with Wave-Ed, a Birmingham-based design and print company, we are excited to offer these with at least £7 from every sale being donated to SFE. *THE ONLINE SHOP IS NOW CLOSED FOR ORDERS*

Hoodie, Grape

Hoodie, Pacific

Hoodie, Turquoise

Hoodie, Black

Hoodie, Grey

T-Shirt, Black

T-Shirt, Grey

ONLY available AT THE CONCERTS

Show your support by owning an SFE pin badge, available to buy from our Fundraising team at the concerts, or given when you sign up to join our Friends of Our Ensembles.

£1 donation recommended

Warning; choking hazard, not suitable for children under 36 months.
Contains small parts and functional sharp point.

ONLY available AT THE CONCERT to buy from our Fundraising team

Image of SFE tote bag

Our SFE tote bags are perfect for carrying around your rehearsal music, shopping or anything else you need help carrying. Made from natural colour 180 g/m cotton, maximum capacity 7L.

£3.60 each including VAT

ONLY available AT THE CONCERT to buy from our Fundraising team

Available in a range of colours, our SFE branded pens will always stand out from other pens. Coloured barrels, black ink only.

£1.80 each including VAT

Friends of Our Ensembles

Alongside our SFE Ensembles apparel, we also launched our Friends of Our Ensembles initiative at the Summer Proms, enabling people to make an annual donation and become a ‘Friend’, ‘Good Friend’, or ‘Best Friend’. If this is something that would interest you, please click here for more info.

Become a
Friend

*£36 per year

Welcome pack including an SFE tote bag and pin badge
Termly updates of what’s happening with our Ensembles

FIND OUT MORE

Become a
Good Friend

*£60 per year

Friends package plus:
*2 free tickets to one of our fantastic Youth Proms nights

*all tickets subject to booking and availability

FIND OUT MORE

Become a
Best Friend

*£120 per year

Good Friends package plus:
*2 additional free tickets (4 in total) to one of our fantastic Youth Proms night
Discounts on other SFE Ensemble events

*all tickets subject to booking and availability

FIND OUT MORE

GET INVOLVED

There are lots of ways you can get involved and support SFE, from making a monetary donation to taking on a sponsored challenge, or even getting your company involved.

Could you be part of our fundraising efforts in 2025?