About The Singing Elf
The Singing Elf previously provided fully inclusive singing, creativity and wellbeing activities. We are a disability-led, not-for-profit Social Enterprise based in Pittington. We work with our local communities living in nearby villages in and around Durham City and Houghton-le-Spring in the Sunderland Coalfields. Over half of our staff, volunteers and participants live with a long term physical or mental health condition, disability or are neuro-divergent. Our objectives are to celebrate community singing, creativity and wellbeing, strive to include everyone, create outstanding experiences, challenge perceptions and inspire communities to reconnect.
The Singing Elf was founded in 2017 along with Unity Community Choir - our flagship singing project which continued throughout our seven years, closing in April 2024. Unity offered inclusive singing opportunities for everyone - especially those who didn't believe that they could sing. The choir advocated on behalf of those living with invisible conditions, worked to raise awareness of inclusion and performed at a variety of local venues and events, most notably at Durham Cathedral and the Gala Theatre.
Before 2020, we offered a range of in-person singing activities along with hosting our inclusive community singing festival - Durham Big Sing. During the pandemic we pivoted to meet the needs of our community, expanding to include arts and crafts and delivering a massive covid-response project which included 77 weeks of online activities and thousands of home delivered craft packs. With the help of our funders, The Singfulness Project has now reached 10,000 people in our local communities.
Since 2021 we have delivered a wide-range of in-person singing, craft and wellbeing sessions. Projects have included Rainbow Voices, a large-scale, post-pandemic creative programme, The Serenity Room - a ground breaking wellbeing programme for adults, a two year creative project with Pittington Village Hall and Craft Club, delivering creative activities with local community organisations. In 2023, our festival Durham Big Sing returned to Elvet Methodist Church in Durham. In April 2024 all our public projects concluded at our Project Sunset celebration events.
Our Core Values
Celebrate community,
creativity & wellbeing
in a non-competitive, supportive environment, welcoming all abilities
Strive to
include everyone
addressing barriers such as health, confidence, social isolation and finance
Create
outstanding experiences
by delivering high quality, impactful workshops, events and festivals
Dare to be
different
challenge perceptions, disrupt traditional attitudes and kick-start new ideas
Energise &
Inspire
through a collective love of creativity and its power to unite communities
Build supportive
relationships
with participants and the wider community
The Singing Elf Ltd, Trading as The Singing Elf Social Enterprise, Company No. 12246373.
Registered Office: The Old Rectory, The Broadway, Houghton-le-Spring, DH4 4BB, United Kingdom