Just the mere mention of the Slightly Bent Choir has eyebrows shooting up?
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It's something choir leader Jenni Knight and organiser Reverend Linda Chapman are quite familiar with. They have a chuckle as Linda explains the origins of the name.
"Because of Paula's background in mental health, and because the work I do here connects with a lot of people from various backgrounds... it started off for people with mental health challenges," she said.
"But really the people that come around have a variety of different challenges, whether that's intellectual, physical, social...but we are all slightly bent."
The Paula that Linda refers to is Paula Howe, mental health nurse practitioner. Linda is the rector at St Johns Anglican Church, Moruya.
Founded almost nine years ago, the choir was their brainchild, but both having no experience with choirs, soon enlisted the help of former choir leader and music therapist, Kim Edgar-Lane.
Kim recently moved back to Victoria, and Linda was afraid it might spell the end for her beloved choir.
She applied for a Fires to Flourish grant through Monash University which they received.
Current choir leader Jenni was on her way to Sydney when she saw the Facebook post for the position.
"We pulled over straight away - I thought if I don't apply now I won't," she said.
"I haven't really led many choirs before, so it's a challenge for me too, but it's fantastic. The group's just so accepting and I've found it's been great for me too."
On that day, at practice, there are 11 singers including Jenni and her partner, Stephen, on mandolin and guitar. Linda says the numbers "wax and wane", but on average they have 15 to 20 participants.
Jenni keeps a little box where singers can put song ideas. If she doesn't know the song she will try to learn it. There are a wide variety of songs and styles from week to week.
"I've tried to offer a range of songs....some choir songs, Better Be Home Soon by Neil Finn, songs that are more popular, a mixture really, " she says.
"There's medieval rounds, Russian songs, celtic chants, to Bob Dylan to blue-grassy - there's something for everyone."
Not all of them are uplifting, even though on that day, they certainly are.
"Actually it's alright to cry you know," Jenni said.
"If a song makes someone cry...you know I've felt quite emotional in there sometimes, and different songs have different connections to people too... and that's good....let it out."
The choir performs whenever they can. Traditionally they perform at the Christmas services, sometimes at all-abilities events - pop-ups at the IGA in Moruya even.
Memorably, in 2022, the choir performed at the funeral of one of their members, Jean Reid, who was 106 years old. Linda recalls that Jean was still singing with them in the months leading up to her passing.
Linda and Jenni are keen now to strengthen their numbers and get the word out about their group.
With the funding they have received through Fires to Flourish they hope to do a campaign drive and build on their opportunities to perform.
Linda fondly, and proudly, remembers one chap, from Victoria who was house sitting for a period in Moruya.
"He was coming here to the choir... and he loved it so much that when he went back he wanted to start his own," she said.
"I heard from him this year, and he's started a choir called Another Slightly Bent Choir."
The Slightly Bent Choir meet weekly at the Red Door Hall in the grounds of The Commons, Moruya. They have an open door policy - everybody is welcome and no singing experience is necessary.
To find out more Linda can be reached on 0422 273 021
