OVER 50 National Awards were announced with the final one, the individual public vote, won by Grenville and presented to him by HRH, the Princess Royal.
Last Thursday (March 27) in a glittering awards ceremony at the packed Bobby Moore Suite, Wembley Stadium, the work of the Bath-based Songs&Smiles Charity Golden-Oldies was recognised with its founder Grenville Jones being awarded the prestigious UK Excellence Awards 2025 Patron’s Award for Individual achievement by the British Quality Foundation Patron, HRH, the Princess Royal.
It was in 2007 when respected choir leader and musician Grenville, who lives in Bath, launched the charity that was based on bringing isolated lonely people together to enjoy fun Sing&Smile organised community singing sessions in Church halls, community rooms and libraries across South West England and Wales (Goldies Cymru).
Over the last 18 years Grenville has also built up a reputation for his leadership of many community choirs, although he is always quick to point out that the Goldies Charity is NOT about choir singing but more specifically about community health and wellbeing sessions for over 3,000 older isolated and vulnerable people.
From the original four ‘Goldies’ sessions taken by Grenville in and around the Bath and Bristol areas the work of the Charity, with Sir Cliff Richard as its Patron, has grown to the point today where they organise over 170 sessions across England and in Wales, under the Goldies Cymru banner.
Alongside the charity work, he has led the development of community choirs and, through his separate music business, runs 34 mixed-voice choirs with 1600 enthusiastic singers. Goldies however is entirely different but both Grenville’s choir work and his charity are based on a very simple principle.
He said: “I understand that there were hundreds of votes and I’d like to thank everyone across my Choirs and the Goldies Charity who took time to vote for me.
“Singing is good for your health and wellbeing, it encourages friendship and should most definitely be on prescription.”
Carrie White, Events, Communications & Marketing Lead of The British Quality Foundation (BQF) said: “Our awards cover a variety of different areas, one of the most significant being our Patron’s Awards for everyday excellence.
“We have separate, independent panels of judges for all of our Awards and it is interesting to note that the Golden-Oldies Charity was nominated as a finalist in the Patron’s Award Organisations.
“In addition Grenville Jones was nominated for the Patron’s Award Individuals for his leadership and dedication for taking forward not only the work of the charity but his encouragement and development of community singing across so many areas of the UK.”
Grenville’s work has been recognised on many occasions and has enjoyed the support of numerous Trusts and philanthropic groups, Local Authorities and supportive Trusts, the National Lottery and many others.
Dr Alwyn Humphreys, MBE and Goldies Cymru Trustee said: “When Covid shut down all of the Goldies in-person daytime sessions it was typical of the determination of Grenville to find a new way to reach out to isolated people.
“We did this with the innovative introduction of sessions which were made available to people in their homes through YouTube and professionally produced and distributed sessions. Sofa singing was born!”
The charity has also led the way with its intergenerational Primary School events, supported by the National Lottery through its Heritage Lottery Fund. Three years ago an intergenerational project from Goldies, based on the commemoration of Armistice Day and World War II, won the prestigious Education Category of the National Lottery Awards 2018. Grenville received the award from Welsh soprano Katherine Jenkins at a televised event in London.
Grenville added: “With the continued support of our brilliant session leaders and many sponsors and supporters we are adding more Goldies Sing&Smile sessions. We know that we are making a huge difference to the lives of so many older vulnerable people.
“You really cannot be gloomy or sad if you are singing at a Goldies session.”
