Rawson Digital

A group of school children and adults with learning difficulties have been singing the praises of a Wrexham copy firm who sponsored a workshop where they created a heartwarming song about human kindness.

The beautiful new tune called Inner Beauty was created during a session run by Chester charity Amasing which was sponsored by the Wrexham Industrial Estate based business Rawson Digital.

The fledgling choir, made up of pupils from St Werburgh’s and St Columba’s Primary School, Hoole, and adults who attend Lightfoot Lodge day centre, just across the road, was helped to put together the lyrics, on the theme of diversity and togetherness, by professional musician and composer Andrew Smith of Liverpool.

The project has been such a success that next year it will be performed at theatres around the region.

The enthusiastic singers were brought back together where they treated special guests Jo and Millie Rawson from Rawson Digital to a sneak preview of the new song during extra rehearsals at Lightfoot Lodge, which is run by Vivo Care Choices.

Jo, Director of Rawson Digital, which services and supplies printers and photocopiers to other businesses across the North Wales and north west regions and was founded by her husband Vaughn seven years ago, said “It’s impossible not to have your spirits lifted by this. The words have such a positive, uplifting message about the need for us all to come together as a society and support each other, no matter what our circumstances or backgrounds. The choir sing with such emotion, we were genuinely moved.”

AmaSing charity founder Rachael Borman is a teacher at St Werburgh’s and St Columba’s Primary School, Hoole.

She believes music and arts are powerful tools for children to express themselves and celebrate difference, which is part of the ethos of AmaSing.

Rachael’s link with Rawson Digital began when she met managing director, Vaughan Rawson, at Chester Business Network where she explained to him about the work of the AmaSing charity, founded in 2017. Hugely impressed, he agreed to sponsor the Inner Beauty song workshop. He has also further pledged to help sponsor one of the charity’s concerts in 2020.

Lightfoot Lodge is a day centre where adults with learning difficulties come together for activities including music, dancing, Zumba, arts, crafts and games.

Another Lightfoot singer Tony Crelin was over the moon to be chosen as a soloist for Christmas carol Away in a Manger which the choir also performed before parents, family and friends at the St Werburgh’s and St Columba’s school concert.

Tony starts the carol off with school pupils Declan Arnold and Ronnie Hill, both 10, before the rest of the choir join in.

Declan who is in a band with his brother Fintan, aged 13, is a keen music fan and loves all kinds of musical genres.

Fellow pupil Mirela Hasaj, 10, said: “It’s been fun to work with the Lightfoot Lodge community and get to know them. I’ll always remember this, it’s a fabulous experience.”

Inner Beauty will be uploaded to the website www.amasing.org.uk for all 4,000 children involved in the wider AmaSing organisation to learn ahead of major concerts they are giving next year. These include at William Aston Hall, Wrexham on March 11-13; Storyhouse, Chester on April 20-24; and The Floral Pavilion, New Brighton on June 23-25.

For more information about AmaSing, go to www.amasing.org.uk