Celebrating through Song – SNAP’s 24 Hour Kitchen Disco tops the charts!

During COVID lockdown SNAP started a special Facebook Live session – SNAP Radio – on Friday mornings featuring Emily Grimes, our resident Music Therapist. Emily’s amazing talent, the interaction and requests from the chat, and the relaxed and welcoming feel of these sessions helped families to stay connected throughout the pandemic. During one of these sessions Emily had an amazing idea – what if we did this for 24 hours? On 5 March 2021 the feed went live and families, friends, supporters and people from across the county tuned in.

 

Karen said, “We wanted to bring this challenge back for as part of SNAP’s 30^th Anniversary celebrations. We thought that this would be a great way of getting as many people as possible together to celebrate this milestone whilst also raising awareness of SNAP.”

 

The stream from The SNAP Centre went live on YouTube at 9AM on the 19 October, with Emily kicking off with a few ‘Buy a Song’ requests before handing over to the first guest performer, Matt.

 

The 24 Hour Kitchen Disco featured an amazing line up of performers including (in order of appearance): Matt Haslam Hammond aka The Disney Guy, Phoebe, Karen at Song Signs & Sounds, Maggie Inverarity, performances from the Brentwood Musical Theatre Society and the Shenfield Operatic Society, Yasmin Davey-Corrigan, Ray Travasso, Jack Wilson, John Wallis, Lady Grey and the Earls, Jake McLaughlin, Girl Band and the talented Emily Grimes and Family Support Adviser, Alli Fudge-Smith.

 

Talent also came from within SNAP including performances from SNAP’s Junior and Parent Choirs, as well as two SNAP young people, Tyler and Nathan, who gave solo performances. The Junior Choir wrote a song specially for SNAP’s 30^th Anniversary.

 

Karen Boath, CEO said, “I had no idea that the choir had written that song or that they were going to perform it at the disco! It was absolutely amazing! I love the lyrics too – ‘SNAP is a place to join all together, you are free to be yourself!’ – they really captured what SNAP is all about.”

 

In addition to the performers, The SNAP Team welcomed special guests including the Mayor of Brentwood, Mark Haigh; Mina Fitzgerald, volunteer and Karen’s mum; SNAP siblings, a big group of SNAP families and a delicious curry from sponsor, Tastefully Yours.

 

Special guests and The SNAP Team took on a variety of hilarious games to keep viewers entertained between acts. Sara Clifton, Fundraising Manager said, “We wanted to build on the success of the previous Kitchen Disco by incorporating games that our viewer at home could either influence or participate in. For example, set donations would trigger a pie in the face or a bug eating challenge, and we set a range of donation goals that would unlock games throughout the event, such as Guess Who? where we pulled together photos from SNAP’s past, asked the audience who they thought was in the photo and gave out special prizes.”

 

Karen said, “We are incredibly grateful to all our performers, sponsors and everyone who tuned in and supported the event. One of the highlights for me was seeing so many SNAP families, old and new, joining from all over the county. People easily forget how hard it can be for some of our families to get out and about. For them, the lockdowns during COVID was normal – everyone else was finally experiencing what much of their daily life is like. To be able to Zoom into their homes, share in the joy and silliness of the Disco was easily my favourite part of this event.”

 

The feedback from SNAP families was amazing too. Here are just a few of the comments from the YouTube chat:

 

“You are all amazing!! Thank you for everything you do for our children and us! The vibe at SNAP today and always was so special!! Love you all.”

“For all you have done and continue to do for my family and for helping me to find my voice again.”

“You are all doing such an incredible job! Fantastically entertaining and what an amazing wealth of fabulous talent. Our family will forever be indebted to this excellent charity. A literal life saver.”

“SNAP helped us as a family back in the 90s it’s fabulous but not surprising to see what a wonderful charity it has become. Emily and Co, thank you and well done.”

 

The event culminated in Family Support Adviser, Alli having his head shaved! Alli said, “I knew I would be playing Uncle Fester in Brentwood Musical Theatre Society’s production of Addams Family the Musical at the end of October at Brentwood Theatre. Rather than opting for a latex bald cap to create the iconic character’s look, I decided I would ‘brave the shave’ raising money for SNAP and letting Karen loose with the clippers live at the Kitchen Disco!”

 

Sara said, “It was a wacky way to round off the 24 Hour Kitchen Disco but it really fit with the silliness we had been up to throughout the event. Everyone really got behind Alli and he raised an amazing £1,343! We are so grateful to him for his courage, especially letting Karen shave his head after being up for 24 hours!”

 

Sara added, “It was an incredible event. At multiple points I was really moved by the comments, dedicated songs and all the love for SNAP. By the end of the stream, we were exhausted but also elated. In the end the disco raised £9,946.97! This is a huge help and will ensure that SNAP can continue to be here for families across Essex in future.”

 

Thank you to all of our generous sponsors – Grove & Dean Wealth Management, Graham Boath – Painter Decorator, Birthing with Becki, Blue Serif, Not Just Travel, Bennetts Funerals, Tastefully Yours, and Red Oak Wear.

 

If you missed the event, you can catch-up on all the talented performers and zany antics on SNAP’s YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/@snapcharity.

SNAP are so thankful to everyone who tuned in, sponsored and supported the 24 Hour Kitchen Disco! Front from left to right – Alli Fudge-Smith, Family Support Adviser; Sami Shulton, Community Fundraiser; Karen Boath, SNAP CEO; Emily Grimes, Music Therapist and star of the show. Back from left to right – Hannah Cox, Services Support Intern; Sara Clifton, Fundraising Manager; Rachel Franklin, Services Manager; and surprise guest, Emily, who had stayed up for the whole 24 hours!