JPR Williams and JJ Williams Get Creative with BBC National Chorus of Wales and the Forget-me-not Chorus

The Forget-me-not Chorus from south East Wales has been working for two months with the BBC National Chorus of Wales, and on for their final rehearsal they were also joined by rugby legends JPR Williams and JJ Williams.

In a project organised by the Arts Council of Wales and the BBC National Chorus of Wales as part of the 2018 Get Creative Festival, members of the Forget-Me-Not Chorus have been buddied over 8 weeks with members of the BBC National Chorus of Wales at their weekly rehearsals in Cardiff. The project celebrates how singing brings joy regardless of any other issues in your life.

For the final session of the project the chorus’ were joined by rugby legends JJ Williams and JPR Williams. They are both physically and mentally active and wanted to show their support to the project and experience for themselves the joy of singing. The choir rehearsal was captured on camera and the video can be seen on bbc.co.uk/getcreative.

JJ Williams says: “I know all the songs. They are all rugby songs - Calon Lân, Hymns and Arias, Green Green Grass of Home. The stadium was ringing out to that when we were playing. This has been quite moving really and a great experience for us, John and myself, to see what really goes on and the good work that’s being done. It’s fabulous. I can only recommend this to other people. Singing is obviously therapy isn’t it.”

JPR Williams, who is a member of a Male Voice Choir, says “I think it’s a great thing. As you get older, singing becomes more important. It gives you something to aim for and it’s actually very good for you. I asked them to stand up rather than sit down as you sing better standing up. The only thing you would be able to tell was that the choir members probably couldn’t remember anything yesterday but they can remember me playing - which is a long time ago. We obviously made a huge impression. As one of the members said to me, they almost didn’t recognise me because there was no blood on my face!”.

The Forget-me-not Chorus aims to empower both people with dementia and their families to use their voices to express themselves. The focus is on having fun, and offers a moment of reprise from the everyday caring routine. The experience for the BBC National Chorus of Wales members who were buddied with the choir members was also inspirational.

Jeff Davies, a founder member of BBC National Chorus of Wales, says: “When I volunteered to 'buddy' with a member of the Forget-me-not Choir I really did not know what to expect! But the rehearsals were amongst the most joyous, emotional, rewarding experiences of my singing career. My buddy (who attended with his lovely wife) couldn’t remember me from one week to next but by the end of each rehearsal we had a great rapport and he remembered every word of the songs we sang… the power of song! It was a great privilege to be part of this Get Creative project!”

Kate Woolveridge, artistic director of the Forget-me-not Chorus, says: “We had a fantastic evening with JJ Williams and JPR Williams and they came and sang with us and for our choristers that is such a highlight. They are the stars of that generation. JJ didn’t stop smiling and JPR I know sings in a male voice choir and he absolutely loved the evening. When our choristers are diagnosed with dementia, the first thing that goes is confidence and thus a sense of losing themselves. Coming to choir suddenly re-enlivens that person. The whole idea about the Forget-me-not Chorus is that everybody has a voice, everybody can sing and Get Creative is all about getting off our bottoms, getting out and doing something creative and there is nothing more creative and uplifting than singing together.”

The Get Creative Festival 2018 also offers the general public the chance to take part in taster sessions at events arranged all over Wales. Find out what events, activities and taster sessions are happening in your area at bbc.co.uk/getcreativewales. Follow the week of creativity on social media via #GetCreative

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JPR Williams a JJ Williams yn Creu gyda Chorws Cenedlaethol Cymreig y BBC a’r Forget-me-not Chorus

Mae aelodau côr ar gyfer pobl gyda dementia a’u teuluoedd wedi cael profiad bythgofiadwy diolch i Ŵyl Cer i Greu eleni (17-25 Mawrth 2018).

Am ddeufis, mae’r Forget-me-not Chorus wedi bod yn gweithio gydag aelodau o Gorws Cenedlaethol Cymreig y BBC, ac ar gyfer ymarferi, fe gawson nhw ymweliad arbennig gan arwyr o’r byd rygbi - JPR Williams a JJ Williams.

Mewn prosiect a drefnwyd gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru a Chorws Cenedlaethol Gymreig y BBC fel rhan o Ŵyl Cer i Greu 2018, fe gafodd aelodau’r Forget-me-not Chorus eu paru dros wyth wythnos gydag aelodau Corws Genedlaethol Gymreig y BBC ar gyfer eu hymarferion wythnosol yng Nghaerdydd. Mae’r prosiect yn dathlu’r mwynhâd mae canu yn ei roi er gwaethaf unrhyw sefyllfa aaill yn eich bywyd.

Ar gyfer ymarfer olaf y prosiect fe ymunodd yr arwyr rygbi JJ Williams a JPR Williams. Mae’r ddau yn holliach yn gorfforol a meddyliol ac eisiau dangos eu cefnogaeth i’r prosiect a phrofi drostyn nhw eu hunain y wefr o ganu. Cafodd yr ymarfer ei ffilmio ac mae ar gael i’w wylio ar bbc.co.uk/getcreative.

Dywedodd JJ Williams: “Fi’n gwybod y caneuon i gyd. Caneuon rygbi ydyn nhw i gyd – Calon Lân, Ar Hyd y Nos, Green Green Grass of Home. Roedd y rhain i’w clywed yn glir yn y stadiwm pan roedden ni’n chwarae. Mae hyn wedi bod yn eithaf emosiynol a dweud y gwir ac yn brofiad gwych i ni, John a finnau, i weld beth sy’n mynd ymlaen a'r gwaith da sy’n cael ei wneud. Mae’n wych. Alla i ond argymell hyn i bobl eraill. Mae canu yn amlwg yn therapi.”

Dywedodd JPR Williams, sy’n aelod o gôr meibion: “Dwi’n meddwl ei fod yn beth gwych. Wrth i chi fynd yn hŷn, mae canu’n dod yn bwysicach. Mae’n rhoi rhywbeth i chi anelu ato ac mae’n dda iawn i chi. Fe wnes i ofyn iddyn nhw sefyll yn lle eistedd gan eich bod yn canu’n well ar eich traed. Yr unig beth oedd yn fy nharo am y côr oedd mae’n debyg nad oedd aelodau’r côr yn gallu cofio dim byd am ddoe ond eu bod yn gallu fy nghofio i’n chwarae - amser maith yn ôl. Mae’n amlwg i ni gael dipyn o argraff. Fel ddywedodd un o’r aelodau wrtha i, doedden nhw bron ddim yn fy adnabod i oherwydd nad oedd gwaed ar fy wyneb!”.

Nod y Forget-Me-Not Chorus ydy rhoi pwer i bobl sydd â dementia a’u teuluoedd i ddefnyddio eu lleisiau i fynegi eu hunain. Cael hwyl yw’r ffocws, ac mae’n cynnig seibiant o’r drefn gofalu bob dydd. I gantorion y BBC fu’n rhan o’r prosiect, roedd y profiad hefyd yn wefreiddiol.

Dywedodd Jeff Davies, aelod gwreiddiol o Gorws Cenedlaethol Cymreig y BBC: “Pan wnes i wirfoddoli i fod yn ‘gyfaill’ gydag aelod o’r côr Forget-me-not doeddwn i ddim yn gwybod beth i ddisgwyl - mae’r ymarferion wedi bod yn un o’r profiadau mwyaf pleserus, emosiynol a boddhaol dwi wedi pbrofi drwy fy ngyrfa canu. Doedd fy ‘nghyfaill’ (oedd yno gyda’i wraig hyfryd) methu fy nghofio i o un wythnos i’r llall, ond erbyn diwedd pob ymarfer roedd gennym berthynas wych ac roedd e’n cofio pob gair o’r caneuon roedden ni’n canu… dyna rym cerddoriaeth! Mae wedi bod yn fraint i fod yn rhan o’r prosiect Cer i Greu!”

Dywedodd Kate Woolveridge, cyfarwyddwr artistig y Forget-me-not Chorus “Gawson ni noson fendigedig gyda JJ Williams a JPR Williams ac fe wnaethon nhw ganu gyda ni a oedd yn gymaint o uchafbwynt i aelodau ein côr. Dyma sêr y genhedlaeth honno. Wnaeth JJ ddim stopio gwenu ac rwy’n gwybod bod JPR yn canu mewn côr meibion ac roedd o wir wedi mwynhau’r noson. Pan fydd aelodau ein côr yn cael diagnosis o ddementia, y peth cyntaf sy’n mynd ydy hyder a synnwyr o golli eu hunain. Mae dod i’r côr yn chwa o awyr iach i’r unigolion hynny. Syniad y Forget-me-not Chorus ydy bod gan bawb lais, bod pawb yn gallu canu ac mae Cer i Greu i gyd yn ymwneud â chodi oddi ar ein pen ôl, mynd allan a gwneud rhywbeth creadigol a does dim byd yn fwy creadigol ac yn codi calon yn well na chydganu.”

Mae Gŵyl Cer i Greu 2018 yn rhoi cyfle i aelodau’r cyhoedd i gymryd rhan mewn sesiynau blasu a gweithdai ar hyd a lled Cymru. I weld be sydd ymlaen yn eich ardal chi ewch i bbc.co.uk/cerigreu. Gallwch ddilyn y digwyddiadau creadigol ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol drwy ddilyn #CeriGreu

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Related Media Centre Links

• Get Creative Festival 2018 - Media Pack