Cheshire firefighters fundraising for New York Ground Zero concert

Members of Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service choir, formed for the BBC TV series The Choir: Sing While You Work, are fundraising for a performance at Ground Zero in New York in tribute to the 343  firefighters who died in the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers.

In February 2016 the Fire Choir will be performing their signature song, The Rising, at Ground Zero Memorial Plaza. It is the song, written by Bruce Springsteen, that they always perform at the end of all their performances as it tells the story of a firefighter who is inside one of the towers on that fateful day and realises he isn’t going to survive.

The first fundraising event will be on Saturday 14 November at Macclesfield Town Hall. From 11am to 2pm. Three choir members, Macclesfield firefighters Matt Lloyd, Daniel Selby and Phil Marke, will be pitching a ladder and climbing 830 metres, the combined height of the two towers. They will be doing this in full fire kit and are hoping that as many people as possible will come along to support them.

Watch Manager Phil Marke, who has been in the choir from the start and featured in the programme, said: “The events of that fateful day in September 2001 had a profound effect on all of us in the UK fire and rescue service.

“Performing The Rising is our way of never forgetting our colleagues in America and to be able to perform it at Ground Zero will be a most moving and poignant experience. We will also be meeting New York firefighters to share comradeship and hear their stories from that day.”

Choir members are raising money for flights and accommodation themselves, and will be taking leave for the trip. They are looking to raise a total of £8,000 and have set up a Just Giving page for anyone wishing to donate – https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/daniel-selby.

Other choir members will be at the event and, although not ladder climbing, have promised to sing to support their colleagues.

While in New York the choir has been invited to sing in a special concert at the world-famous Carnegie Hall where they will be performing Paul Mealor’s ‘Stabat Mater’.  Carnegie Hall is home to music of all genres, with memorable stage performances from the likes of The Beatles, Judy Garland, Glenn Miller, Rolling Stones, Shirley Bassey and many, many more.