The event featured acts from a number of local care homes following months of rehearsals
More than 150 people gathered at the Freedom Centre to celebrate the fifth annual HICA’s Got Talent, an energetic showcase featuring 16 acts from local care homes. Following months of dedicated rehearsals, performers from Elm Tree Court, The Hollies, Overton House, Albermarle, Prospect House, and Isaac Robinson Court took to the stage to delight an enthusiastic crowd, before the event concluded with a special closing performance from Stephanie Krush.
The event brought together both staff and service users for a day filled with music, nostalgia, and community spirit. Speaking about the milestone event, HICA CEO Terry Peel highlighted the dedication behind the scenes and the positive impact the showcase has on those taking part.
“This is our fifth year of HICA’s Got Talent. It started off as an idea of a couple of people and it’s grown and grown every year. We have had 16 acts this year, it’s a bit of fun but everyone takes it seriously rehearsing for months and months.
“We get everybody together thinking about the good times and remembering some older times. We’ve had over 150 people here, some of our performances are very moving and emotional – they’ve spent a lot of time and effort rehearsing and they’ve done a fantastic job.
“There’s a mixture of our homes here, staff and service users have been building up for this for about nine months and we already have idea’s for next year now so it gets bigger and bigger. Every time I go around the homes, especially in the last few months, they’ve all been enquiring and saying ‘when Is HICA’s Got Talent? We are rehearing, we are preparing for it’.
“They’ve been so excited and, to me, it’s about making a difference and I think it is. It’s not only a day out but they are getting some limelight, they are courageous taking to the stage and once again it’s been absolutely fantastic.”
For the performers themselves, the opportunity to step into the spotlight was met with overwhelming joy and pride. Following their turn on stage, several residents from Prospect House shared their excitement about the experience.
Elaine said: “I enjoyed it and wanted to perform for my three boys”. Rachel said: “We got lots of cheers”. Malcolm praised the team behind the event, saying, “I thoroughly enjoyed it, the staff are fantastic for bringing us here and organising this”. Sam added, “I had lots of fun – it was great”.
With plans already underway to make next year’s showcase even bigger, the event proved to be a memorable celebration of courage and community. Readers can see some of the performances in the video above.
Did you know you can make Hull Live a preferred source of Hull news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here’s more information about what this means and how to do it – you can also do it straight away by clicking here.
