Geoff Higham

Geoff Higham's 50 Years

(With thanks to Sarah Harker of the Warrington Guardian who wrote this piece on Geoff)

BORN almost three months premature and with severe cerebral palsy, Geoff Higham was never expected to make it through the night. But in a truly inspirational tale of triumph over adversity, Geoff, now 71, this year (2005), celebrates 50 years as a member of Warrington Male Voice Choir, and he says that it is singing that has been his lifeline. With no feeling in his left side and no muscle structure in his legs due to the cerebral palsy, Geoff soon became used to the cruel taunts of playground bullies until he joined the school choir.

He quickly became the envy of his peers. Since then, music has continued to play a huge part in Geoff's life, so much so, that he has attributed it to playing a part in saving his life. He said:

"I became very depressed and frustrated by my disability. I felt it really limited me. It wasn't until I joined the choir and my singing teacher said to me 'walk down the street and you will pass hundreds of people who wish that they could do what you can' that I realized things weren't so bad."

In his early 20s, Geoff was on the brink of a professional career with the BBC Northern singers when fate intervened. A freak accident put him in hospital for two years. Having been told it was unlikely that he would walk again, Geoff needed little more encouragement to get back on his feet.

He said; "I used to cry myself to sleep thinking that I would never walk again. I would think 'I'm 24, why me - haven't I been through enough?"

Geoff, of Burton Close, Culcheth, did walk again, until a further accident in 1970, caused irreparable damage to his ligaments. He has been a wheelchair user ever since. He says,

"I have done a lot of solo singing for disabled children, and it makes you realize there are many in worse situations than mine. The choir means so much to me. I am doing something positive and bringing pleasure to people. Thankfully I was blessed with a decent voice.

Through the choir I have found friendship, and we do a lot of charity work which is very satisfying. The choir has always been so welcoming, and so accepting of my disability."