‘Big Sing’ event at Big Kirk

ISLANDERS are being encouraged to turn out and give their physical and mental health a boost by taking part in a charity event called “Shetland’s Big Sing” in Lerwick on Sunday.

Locum doctor Veronica McBurnie, who lectures for medical students at Glasgow University and is providing GP cover in the town over the summer, regularly stages classes and events in the central belt and has previously organised get-togethers in the islands too.

She swears by the health benefits of singing and says the event in the Big Kirk, also known as St Columba’s Church, is open to anyone and everyone regardless of ability.

“I very much believe that singing is essential for wellbeing on a physical and mental and spiritual level,” Veronica – also known as “Doctor V” – says, “so I run a lot of music events whenever I get a chance, wherever I am.”

This event will be raising money for two causes – From Shetland With Love and the Syrian refugee appeal – and she is encouraging those who want to take part to turn up and register at 1pm.

They will spend the afternoon going through “a bit of a warm-up, have a laugh, make everyone feel secure. They don’t have to read music, or to have been in a choir before, and we’ll have a huge, big community sing”.

In the evening the fruits of the afternoon workshop will be showcased for members of the public with the aid of a host of local musicians and also Bruno Ashley of Zimbabwe theatre troupe Umkathi Theatre Works, who stages sing, dance and rhythm events in his native country and beyond.

“One of the other doctors, Dylan, is getting his guitar ready to do Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin,” Veronica says. “It’ll be a really good fun day, raising the feel-good factor and raising money for charity.

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“I would quite like to prescribe it [singing] because I think it works better than a lot of medicines.”

Veronica has been coming up during the holidays (she has school-age children) for the past three years having “fallen in love with it” on her first visit.

“I’d move here in a minute, but my teenagers say otherwise! So I come up in my holidays, it feels like my second home. Being on the boat south is really sad, because it’s a long, slow goodbye…”

She adds: “If you come at 1 o’clock to register, bring your friends, work colleagues – bring anybody you can get hold of! The Big Kirk holds 700 and I’d like it full, one way or another!”

• Shetland’s Big Sing takes place on Sunday 6 August. Registration starts at 1pm with a recommended entry fee of £10. Tickets for the evening performance, from 7.30pm, are available from Shetland Arts Box Office priced £7 (£5 concessions).