Citizen of the Year: what a show we have for you

Giving public recognition to all those unsung heroes and volunteers who keep our community together in times of austerity is what Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year is all about but few realise the concept extends to the 
entertainers and the organisers, who give their services free.

Planning is at an advanced stage for the Gala Awards 
Ceremony at the Guy Nelson Hall, Warwick School on Sunday night (September 29).

Top billing goes to 13-year-old singing sensation Amy Thomas (pictured right), who is back in the starring role by popular demand.

There was hardly a dry eye in the house when Amy finished her performance last year.

The sell out audience just loved her and showed its appreciation with applause lasting for over five minutes.

Amy likes classical style songs. She has been singing since she was four but from the age of nine has been winning talent shows and wowing adult audiences all over South Warwickshire. It is predicted that she has a great future ahead of her.

To date she has sung at the Leamington, Whitnash and Kenilworth Christmas lights switch on, the Kenilworth and Leamington festivals and at many dinner dances and private parties. She also won the North Leamington’s Got Talent competition in November 2011.

Amy attends North Leamington School and it comes as no surprise to music lovers that a supporting act is the Vocal Generation Choir, which is representative of 11 schools in the North Leamington cluster.

Now 50 strong, the choir is led by Sheila Russell from the County Music Service.

It has gone from strength to strength and has a recent audition for the BBC choir of the Year competition to its credit.

The group consists of students of all ages, incorporating a number of families.

Sue Hollingworth, a former winner of choir of the year, said she was impressed by their homogeneity of sound across the ages.

Also back by popular demand this year is Sorority, an all girls street dance group, which went down a storm with the audience in 2011.

There are ten dancers aged from 16 to 27 years-old, who are attached to the Jaykays Dance Company in Leamington.

Sorority was formed when the 10 dancers decided to choreograph, learn, and polish entertaining dance routines. Amazingly lithe and flexible, the girls use ballet, tap, street dance, freestyle and gymnastics as elements in their routine.

Tickets for the awards night at the Guy Nelson Hall, Warwick School on September 29 are in demand and only priced at an affordable £12 so the nominated charities, the Warwickshire/Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and Side by Side can benefit.

To obtain tickets visit www.citizenoftheyear.org.uk or go to the Courier offices at 32, Hamilton Terrace, Leamington Spa CV32 4LY. Otherwise contact [email protected] for more information.