The HSE Staff Sing for Wellbeing Concert is taking place on Sunday 21st October in the University of Limerick concert Hall 2.00pm – 5.00 pm in aid of University Hospital Limerick Children’s Ark Unit. Don’t miss your chance to see and hear HSE Workplace Choirs from around the country perform at this exciting event.
As part of the HSE’s work to promote Healthy Ireland, the Governments strategy to improve the health and wellbeing of the Irish population, this free concert will celebrate the health and wellbeing benefits that staff get from singing in workplace choirs and will showcase the talent that exists among HSE staff. Everyone is invited – staff, their family, friends, and the general public. While it is free to attend the event with free car parking, tickets must be pre-booked with the UL Concert Hall booking office Tel: 061 331549 (Mon. – Fri. 10am – 5pm). There will be a voluntary bucket collection on the day with all proceeds going to University Hospital Limerick Children’s Ark Unit.
Dr Cate Hartigan, Assistant National Director of Health and Wellbeing in the HSE, said “It is very positive to see staff participating in their local workplace choirs, which can offer a great outlet to support staff health and wellbeing and improve staff engagement. I would encourage you to attend this event with your families in what will be a memorable event for the health services”.
An afternoon of engaging songs is planned and a mass participation grand finale where all choirs and the audience will sing together the legendary, unifying John Farnham song “You’re the voice”. The choirs and audience will sing to the accompaniment of the Dr. Diarmuid O Herlihy Pipe Band from Cashel. There is nothing like the pipes to rouse an audience but don’t worry if you are not a singer you can mime to the words on the big screen. This is a unique opportunity to see and hear frontline HSE staff in a different context. A feel good, collective celebration is guaranteed so hurry and book your ticket today!
The following choirs will be performing Ennis Hospital Singers, Chimers (Limerick Mental Health Services), Galway University Hospital Choral Society, Scrubs (Cork University Hospital), Merlin Miscellany (Merlin Park Galway), HSE Tullamore Staff Choir, Heart and Soul (Mullingar) and Naas Workplace Choir. The development of workplace choirs within the health sector is a relatively new development which is proving very popular among HSE staff. Singing in a choir can help alleviate stress in what can be a challenging work environment, create social connection among work colleagues, improve mental wellbeing and offer retired colleagues the chance to stay connected.
At the event on Sunday next Dr Hilary Moss, (Senior Lecturer, University of Limerick) will present on unique research being conducted at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, UL exploring the health and well-being benefits of singing in workplace choirs. She will present on the connection between well-being and singing, including a year-long pilot study of 6 HSE choirs. She said “Singing in a choir is an important community-based activity that can reduce social isolation, enhance working relationships and may help to reduce stress and encourage teamwork in working environments. This is the first study of workplace choirs in Ireland and contributes to the growing international evidence that singing is good for your health.”
The voluntary donations on the day will go to an excellent charitable cause in the area. The Children’s Ark in University Hospital Limerick is the only inpatient facility for sick children in the Midwest. The Children’s Ark is a purpose-built paediatric unit for children with 49 beds in the Sunshine and Rainbow wards, a high-dependency unit, a cystic fibrosis unit and our Caterpillar day ward. There is also a school for children staying in the hospital so that those that are well enough can keep up with their school work.
This initiative is part of the implementation of Healthy Ireland within our health service, and specifically aims to support staff health and wellbeing.
