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Sister Songbirds: Free like a Bird
- freya527
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
"A place to be free, a place to be me
No stress, no worry
We relax, there's no hurry
We meet with our friends
To feel strong again
A place to be heard, free as a bird"
This is the chorus from an original song written by Sister Songbirds, titled “Free like a bird – A Sister Songbird”. The words reflect what the group is all about: creating a space where women can feel relaxed, supported and free to be themselves.
About Sister Songbirds
Sister Songbirds is a social singing group for women in Leeds, run by Being You Leeds in partnership with Women's Health Matters. The group takes place every Wednesday morning, led by Sally. It's a popular and growing group, with over 50 women currently attending across different weeks.
The sessions are all about coming together as women, singing and having a great time. It's not a choir, and there's no pressure to perform. All women are welcome, whether you love singing everywhere you go or even if you've never sung before.
A wide variety of songs are shared and sung during sessions. For many women attending, English is not their first language, Sally’s experience as an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teacher helps ensure everyone can take part comfortably. Women are encouraged to bring songs from their childhood to the group, resulting in a rich mix of music from different backgrounds and cultures. While many of the songs lyrics are in English, the group has also sung in languages such as, Pashto and Zulu.
Original Songs
Sister Songbirds have written two original songs. The first, 'Life is Journey', explores what it feels like to find your people; those that understand you, make you feel safe and remind you that you belong. If you'd like to, take a moment to listen, close your eyes and reflect on what the lyrics mean to you.
The second song, 'Free like a bird - A Sister Songbird' explores how it feels to sing with this powerful group of women. You can find the full lyrics at the bottom of the page. The group hopes to continue writing and recording more songs in the future.
Group Collaboration
Sister Songbirds has grown through collaboration. Regular conversations with participants help shape what the group looks and feels like, from choosing songs to developing how the weekly sessions are run. Recently, members agreed that children will no longer remain in the room during the group as many members found this distracting. To ensure that women with childcare responsibilities can still participate, a crèche is provided. The group has also recognised that the session time offers limited opportunity to chat and connect with others, so members now arrive earlier to ensure they have time to chat and connect with others. This allows the session itself to remain focused on singing. These shared decisions have created a group that is inclusive, welcoming and truly shaped by the women that attend.
How can you join the group?
To be a part of Sister Songbirds, send Sally a message expressing your interest. You can then find out the time and location of the group.
Contact Sally on 07484 911078
(Sally's working days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Sister Songbirds offers support with travel costs and free childcare, ensuring it remains an accessible, woman-only space.
More About Being You Leeds
Being You Leeds is led by a partnership of local third-sector organisations, working together to promote positive wellbeing. Partners include: Touchstone, Barca, Hamara, Health for All, Holbeck Together, LS14 Trust, Women’s Health Matters, Inspire North and Humans Being. Together, they combine experience and community connection to make Leeds a healthier and more inclusive place to live.
Other Being You Leeds groups in May:
Find the most up to date timetable here: https://www.mindwell-leeds.org.uk/wellbeing-activities-leeds/groups-and-activities/
Free Like a Bird - A Sister Songbird
We come together
To sing with each other
A place to relax and be free
To be who we want to be
We share our voices
Make confident choices
A place where I feel young again
A safe place without any men.
Chorus:
A place to be free, a place to be me
No stress, no worry
We relax, there's no hurry
We meet with our friends
To feel strong again
A place to be heard Free as a bird
We sing together
No matter the weather
Through winter and spring
We continue to sing.
Chorus
We come together
To help each other
With laughter and singing
Our power as women.
Chorus
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