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Sing to Beat Groups throughout the UK

Sing to the Beat Parkinson’s is a nationwide initiative dedicated to enhancing the lives of people living with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions through the power of music. We operate and support a growing network of inclusive singing groups across the UK, offering a safe, uplifting space where participants can connect, express themselves, and experience the many proven benefits of singing.

Our friendly, professionally-led sessions are designed to support speech, breathing, confidence, and overall wellbeing—while also providing a joyful sense of community.

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Sing to Beat Groups: UK

Whether newly diagnosed or living with the condition for many years, everyone is welcome. At Sing to the Beat, we believe in the power of shared voices to lift spirits, strengthen resilience, and remind each other that no one is facing Parkinson’s alone.

ASHFORD SKYLARKS (kent)
  • Welcoming and fun sessions run by trained professional musician. Whilst sessions are specifically aimed at people with Parkinson’s, anyone with any condition or none is welcome.
  • Kent MS Centre, Canterbury, Kent CT4 7DZ
  • 2:00pm - 3:00pm
  • Every other Tuesday during term-time
  • £4.00
  • Parkinson's-friendly, Wheelchair-friendly, Disabled parking
  • Car park at venue
  • Contact: Lucy Markes
  • lucymarkes@btinternet.com
  • Practitioner: Emily Renshaw-Kidd
  • Originally from the Isle of Wight, Emily Renshaw graduated from Canterbury Christ Church University as a Bachelor of Music in 2000 and gained an overall distinction as a Master of Music in 2003. She currently combines caring for her two children with working as Director of Music at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, in Canterbury.

    Alongside her career as a teacher and professional singer, Emily also conducts a wide range of choral and orchestral ensembles. In 2021, Emily became one of the first female lay-clerks in the Canterbury Cathedral Choir. She regularly sings for choral evensong at the Cathedral. Currently holding the post of Artistic Director of Canterbury Cantata Trust and Director of Canterbury Cantata, Emily has directed large-scale works such as Kodaly's Missa Brevis, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Patterson’s Magnificat, Rutter's Requiem, piano concerti by Mozart, Elgar and Rachmaninov and has produced and conducted several musical theatre productions.

    Emily is proud to lead various community singing groups around Canterbury, focusing on music as a form of improving both physical and mental health, whilst caring for each other. Her involvement in the Skylark's Sing to Beat Parkinson's singing group began in 2015, with a collaboration between the Skylark's and Langton Boys'. From here, the relationship has grown and flourished to the point where Emily and the Langton students lead the weekly sessions at the Canterbury MS Centre.

    In 2016, Emily staged and directed a 3-day festival highlighting the benefits of music on health and wellbeing. She was honoured to host such influential musicians as Trevor Pinnock CBE, Judith Weir CBE (Master of the Queen’s Music), Mark Padmore, the Sacconi String Quartet and James Rhodes. She studied singing with Ernest Holbrook, Sheila Amit-Luxon and renowned baritone Benjamin Luxon. She continues to work closely with Professor Grenville Hancox MBE on a range of concerts and projects. Emily regularly performs as a soloist for choral societies across the Southeast and has been involved in a series of salon concerts and the production of a CD, in the beautiful surroundings of Goodnestone Park, with the late Derek Hyde.

    She has sung solo roles in many of the major oratorios, including Jenkin’s Armed Man and Mozart’s Requiem in Canterbury Cathedral and Verdi’s Requiem in Brentwood Cathedral. Emily has performed as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah, directed by Sir David Willcocks CBE and Sir John Tavener’s Annunciation, in the presence of the composer. She makes regular appearances as a recitalist alongside her accompanists including Jamie Rogers and Aidan Shepherd. Emily has given premiere performances of Paul Max Edlin’s Song of the Gypsy Siguiriya along with many of Christ Church’s budding composer’s works and has performed other modern works including Ernst Krenek’s Sestina and George Crumb’s Ancient Voices of Children.

    Emily has enjoyed working with wonderful instrumentalists to perform such chamber works as Schubert’s Shepherd on the Rock and Six Songs by Spohr. Emily holds Grade 8 (distinction) in voice, piano and cello.
Camberwell Skylarks (LONDON)
east suffolk skylarks (ipswich)
  • Refreshments available mid-session
  • Moreton Hall Community Centre, Symonds Road, Bury St Edmunds IP32 7EE
  • 2:30pm - 4:00pm
  • First Monday of the month
  • Payment through yearly fee of £5 to Bury St Edmunds Parkinsons UK
  • Wheelchair-friendly with good toilet facilities
  • Free, but will need a free ticket if you don’t have a Blue Badge
  • Contact: Jill Jennings, Mark Coburn
  • jilljennings1@hotmail.com
  • coburn.mark@gmail.com
  • Practitioners: Jill Jennings, Mark Coburn
  • Singing has always been a big part of Jill's life. Whether with family, friends, or in choirs, it’s been about having fun, trying new things, and creating joyful, shared experiences. she has learned a lot from many people, and playing different instruments has helped her grow musically. As a primary school teacher, Jill encouraged the whole school to sing and took her choir and ukulele group into the community. Since 2016, Jill has led music for well-being sessions for family carers and those with dementia. She now runs singing groups for people with Parkinson’s, stroke, and brain injuries, both in care homes and in the community. During the pandemic, she held garden sings and set up a virtual ‘Singing for the Brain’ group, which has been a lifeline for many. Jill believes everyone can find joy in using their voice to create shared musical experiences full of fun, joy, and belonging. She feel privileged to do what she loves with others.
  • Mark primarily works with charities and local government in Mid Suffolk, focusing on care, wellbeing, and community building. Over the last 10 years he has returned to music as a singing leader and community musician. Coming from a musical family, Mark plays several instruments and sometimes performs locally to help fund his singing groups. Since 2016, Mark has team-taught with the charity Music in Our Bones and runs singing groups for people living with dementia, Parkinson’s, stroke, profound learning disabilities... anything to do with the brain. He has held multiple chairman and directorship positions in the charitable sector over several decades.
  • Health and well-being singing sessions for stroke survivors and their partners or friends run in partnership with the Stroke Association. Well known songs often enjoyed as well as new songs taught by ear.
  • Rushmere Village Hall, Humberdoucy Lane, Rushmere, St Andrew, Ipswich IP4 3PD
  • 2:30pm - 4:00pm
  • First and third Wednesday afternoons of the month
  • Free – voluntary donation welcomed
  • Fully accessible, Parkinson's-friendly
  • On-site parking
  • Contact: Tracy Sharp
  • musicinourbones@gmail.com
  • Practitioners: Tracy Sharp, Mark Coburn
  • Singing with others has always been one of the great loves of Tracy's life. Sharing that love with people who lack such opportunities is what motivates her as a singing leader. More than fifteen years ago, Fran Flower and Jennie Fisk and Tract realised they had a shared vision and began sharing singing as we do now, teaching by ear, in a circle. Music In our Bones started out with a group of 6 Family Carers more than 15 years ago and was launched as a charity in 2017. They sang in 2019 with a total of 792 people, 367 of these in our 8 regular singing groups supported by an inspiring team of 8 singing leaders. It has been an amazing journey everyone involved has been on, many people being part of our development all through those years. What excites Tracy is the way that singing brings people together, the way that all that separates us falls away in the making of music, the way that it can lift one another out from the mundane into a shared space that’s memorable and unique, a space in which we can feel freer and more fully alive. Here’s to more of that!
  • Mark primarily works with charities and local government in Mid Suffolk, focusing on care, wellbeing, and community building. Over the last 10 years he has returned to music as a singing leader and community musician. Coming from a musical family, Mark plays several instruments and sometimes performs locally to help fund his singing groups. Since 2016, Mark has team-taught with the charity Music in Our Bones and runs singing groups for people living with dementia, Parkinson’s, stroke, profound learning disabilities... anything to do with the brain. He has held multiple chairman and directorship positions in the charitable sector over several decades.
Leamington Linnets (WARWICKSHIRE)
Hereford Canaries (HEREFORDSHIRE)
Redditch Robins (WORCESTERSHIRE)
  • The Parish Church of Saint Chad, 160 New Road, Rubery, Birmingham B45 9JA
  • 3:00pm - 4:00pm followed by refreshments
  • Thursdays
  • £3
  • Wheelchair-friendly, accessible toilets, open to all
  • Car park available
  • Contact: Ruth Wood
  • singerwood45@gmail.com
  • Practitioner: Ruth Wood
  • Ruth has a Singing4Health Diploma, and has been running singing groups for 6 years. She is trained with Sing to Beat Parkinson's.
Sing to Beat Parkinson’s Banbury (OXFORDSHIRE)
Singing for Fun - Hinkley and District Parkinsons branch (LEICESTERSHIRE)
The Warblers (BUCKINGHAMSHIRE)
CANTERBURY Skylarks (ONLINE)
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