Roger Boddy is a member of an award-winning choir with a twist – they can’t sing.
The lyrics are all in the hands for Roger, 65, and fellow members of the Dee Sign Choir because most of them are profoundly deaf or hard of hearing.
Their version of Silent Night and other carols thrilled shoppers at the Eagles Meadow shopping centre where they were raising money for charity.
Earlier this year, Roger was one of four of the choir members who attended a Garden Party with the Queen at Buckingham Palace in recognition of their fund-raising efforts.
Roger, who hails from Brymbo, near Wrexham, but now lives in Chester, recalled: “It was the proudest day of my life.
“I never dreamed I would be sitting in the Queen’s garden being awarded for performing to music, none of which I can actually hear!”
He joined Dee Sign Choir a decade ago after retiring from his cook’s job at the Countess of Chester Hospital where he worked for 37 years.
Through his sign language interpreter, he said: “I was bored sitting at home. I’d been to the Deaf Club and knew about the choir but decided to join as a collector, standing by the side of the choir rattling a tin.
“But then I thought I’d like to have a try myself so asked Anne if I could give it a go. I love it and the choir is improving other people’s sign language which is good.”
Roger and his wife, who has full hearing, met at work and used to pass love notes to each other as she couldn’t sign and he couldn’t hear her.
He said: “We have been married now for more than 40 years and have five children and eight grandchildren, all of whom have normal hearing. It is difficult sometimes getting the people to understand but it is getting better, no doubt about it.
“When I was a child it was really hard and very difficult. Very few people signed and it was really hard to be understood.”
Roger added: “I love coming to Eagles Meadow, we have been here a few times before. Everyone is very friendly and very generous. We always raise a lot of money here.
“The choir is really important to me as it has given me some big opportunities. I never would have thought I would be on a theatre stage in Jersey performing to music I can’t even hear.
“And to go to the Palace was wonderful. I met several members of the Royal family and was really impressed as Prince Edward and Zara Phillips both signed to me and asked me if I had enjoyed the day. I also saw Princess Anne and of course, Her Majesty The Queen.”
The choir’s director, Anne Hesketh, a retired member of staff with the Deafness Support Network, says the 62-strong choir is made up of members who range from the profoundly deaf to having full hearing.
She said: “We always love coming to Eagles Meadow because there’s always a lovely atmosphere. My hardest task is to stop too many choir members slipping off to the shops during performances!
“The choir was formed in 1997 and performs at many different venues including schools where we also offer deaf awareness sessions.
“Many Deaf and hard of hearing children are now being integrated into main stream education and it is important their peers understand their individual communication needs.
“Since we formed we have raised more than £150,000 for the charities we support, including the Deafness Support Network. The main role of the choir is to support deaf people and help more people learn British Sign Language.”
She added: “The last three years have been really exciting for the choir as in 2010 and 2011 we won The Jersey Eisteddfod’s Signing Choirs Class coming away with Gold both times. In fact we are still the only choir to have achieved the actual Gold standard.
“And in 2011 we formed a junior choir called Dee-Sign Dynamix and won Silver at our first attempt in The Jersey Eisteddfod. The choir is made up of youngsters aged from six to 16.
“The choir also performed on the pavilion stage at the Llangollen Eisteddfod in July this year and we have appeared on various TV programmes over the years too.”
However the Anne says the choir’s proudest achievement came in June this year when they were awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service – the MBE for voluntary groups.
Anne said: “In May, in connection with The Queen’s Award, four of our members were invited to The Queen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace and, on October 16, 21 choir members attended the Award Presentation Ceremony at Chester Town Hall.
“The Award was presented by HRH The Duchess of Gloucester. The Award consists of a certificate signed by Her Majesty the Queen and an engraved glass Crystal dome.”
She added: “It was hard to choose from 62 members the four people to attend the Garden Party but it was ultimately based on length of service and attendances. One of those chosen was Roger Boddy, a profoundly deaf man, who has a choir member for 10 years.
“Allyson Smith, of Northop Hall, was also chosen to attend. Allyson has full hearing although her daughter has had hearing problems growing up. Alyson has been a massive supporter of Dee-Sign Choir and is always out taking her part at performances along with her two children.”
Allyson Smith, 46, from Northop Hall, really enjoys performing at Eagles Meadow Wrexham.
She said: “I have no hearing issues at all but my daughter, Danielle, now 16, had problems growing up. She has had several operations in fact to correct problems with her hearing.
“She is also a choir member as is my son, Tyler, 14, who has perfect hearing. Danielle and Tyler are also members of Dee-Sign Dynamix.
“It’s always a pleasure to come to Eagles Meadow everyone is always so warm and friendly and the atmosphere is always nice.”
Allyson joined the Dee Sign Choir after passing her British Sign Language Level Three exam.
She said: “I really started to learn sign language thanks to Roger Boddy. I worked at B&Q in Chester and Roger was a regular customer. However, he used to get so frustrated trying to get staff to understand what he wanted.
“There was not one member of staff that could converse with him so |I thought that’s it, I’m going to learn. It was while learning that I learned of Dee-Sign Choir.
“The first time I saw them perform I had goose-bumps and signed up there and then. That was five years ago and I am out with the choir just about every weekend.”
She added: “I was delighted to be chosen as one of the four to go to Buckingham Palace. It was wonderful and a real once in a lifetime occasion.”
