A community show, run by volunteers, wowed a capacity audience at Atherstone Memorial Hall and may have even launched a new singing career for winning act Sanjana.

North Warwickshire Has Got Talent was organised in partnership by the Volunteer Centre North Warwickshire, reVOLve and the V involved team to celebrate national ‘Make a Difference Day’. Jane White, Manager at the Volunteer Centre, said
 “ We have certainly achieved what we set out to do and ‘made a difference’ by providing high quality entertainment for local people, giving people with talent the chance to perform, raising nearly £200 for Breast Cancer Wear it Pink Campaign and providing a number of volunteering opportunities.  We hope this event will help to raise our profile and encourage even more people to come forward to volunteer in their local community“

“ Congratulations to Sanjana and all the performers, you were all amazing. Thank you for entering the competition and for providing us with an evening to remember.”

27 volunteers, all wearing pink to support the fundraising campaign for Breast Cancer, were involved in running this event including those co-ordinating the lighting, sound, back stage, front of house, refreshments, publicity and raffle. Even the compères Lin Goodwin and Richard Talbot from Anker Radio and the judges Adrian Edgington, Suzanne Bailey, Ann Studd and Her Majesty the Queen (alias Patricia Ford) gave up their time to support the event. Her Majesty was very definitely amused by all the acts and will be inviting some of them to perform for her at the Palace at a date to be arranged!  

15 year old singer and guitarist, Sanjana, was voted the overall winner in the final of the North Warwickshire Has Got Talent competition after her powerful performance of ‘Halleluiah’ by Leonard Cohen.  Completely self taught in singing and guitar Sanjana amazed everyone with her stage presence and voice quality. She also definitely had the all important ‘likeability’ factor.

Her proud parents were in the audience and her father Viraj, consultant at George Eliot Hospital said ” We really enjoyed the evening and can’t believe that our little girl has become the confident girl we saw on stage on Friday Night.  This will hopefully now give her chance to continue with her dreams in music and we thank the event organizers for such a great show.”

160 people watching the final, were treated to 13 diverse acts ranging from brilliant teenage acoustic group Silver Lining performing their own song ‘Never Ever’ to J Kirsty Clarke singing her own composition ‘Can’t Breathe’. Older members of the audience were not disappointed with John Goldsack’s rendition of the Lady is a Tramp and cheeky chappie, John Jones, with ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’.  Beautifully dressed Hannah Green impressed everyone with her song from the Little Mermaid and her sister Niamh wowed them with ‘Baltimore’ from the musical Hairspray. Sister duo Flair presented a very polished performance of ‘Issues’ from the Saturdays and Lichfield’s Got Talent 2009nwinner, 12 year old Lynsey, sang a really powerful rendition of The Voice Within by Christina Aguilera.  Fifteen year old Aimee sent shivers down everyone’s spine with her beautiful rendition of Eva Cassidy’s Songbird’ and Chris Brooker, also 15, performed an amazing street dance to ‘Singing in the Rain’. Alex Lodge, 13,  showed real theatrical talent with his ‘Ladies Choice’ from Hairspray and Matthew Rosegreen astounded everyone with his keyboard playing and singing of Coldplay’s When I ruled the World. Sadly Ben Smith was unable to perform his tap dance to Jack the Knife due to illness, but he showed great talent in the auditions and the event organisers wish him a speedy recovery.  

However it was Sanjana who stole the show for the four judges and she was also a very popular choice for the audience. She has now been invited to perform on Anker Radio and also at the next Summer in the Square event in Atherstone. 

The film Studies Department from North Warwickshire & Hinckley College flmed the whole event and DVD will be available to buy at £10 each. Photographs, kindly taken by Ruth Fisher, will be on display at the Volunteer Centre week beginning 16th November

To find out more information about volunteering you can contact the Volunteer Centre 01827 717073