Music / Bristol Drugs Project
Bristol’s recovery community to showcase talent at event
The talent of Bristol’s recovery community is set to be showcased in an end of year celebration.
The event in St Paul’s will open with festive songs by Rising Voices Recovery Choir, and feature Bristol Recovery Orchestra playing alongside members of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
It has been organised by Creative Communities, an initiative by Bristol Drugs Project (BDP) which uses creativity to support people in recovery.
is needed now More than ever
Sophie Wilsdon, who has worked for BDP for 13 years, set up the initiative. “I was struggling to find new words to support people through their recovery journey, and wanted a creative non-verbal way to help,” she said.
Rising Voices Recovery Choir and Bristol Recovery Orchestra, two of the three Creative Communities groups, will perform in an end of year show. Photo by BDP
The orchestra is also the subject of Filling the Void, a documentary by filmmaker Irene Carter Filling which was recently screened at Bristol Beacon.
Sophie added: “The reason I wanted to set up the orchestra was because I’m a musician myself, and I’ve had plenty of friends who have experienced problems with drugs and alcohol, who stopped playing music because of it.
“I am really interested in the links between music and addiction. I wanted to create a space where people who have moved away from music can come back to it.
“One of my favourite things about all of these groups is that when people come to see us, they kind of think we’re going to be a bit of a pity project. We’re actually really good, and I love it.”
The BDP Creative Communities Winter Show 2021 will be held on Monday, December 6 from 2-3.15pm at the Unitarian Meeting Hall on Brunswick Square. Tickets are limited and can be purchased here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/creative-communities-winter-show-2021-tickets-220531304067.
Main photo by BDP
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