News
International Bass Opera singer Brindley Sherratt and his family are staging a very special concert in aid of The Meath Epilepsy Charity, featuring a host of world-renowned singers at The Grange, Northington, on Sunday, 15 June 2025.
While the concert promises to be joyously uplifting and features popular arias and ensembles from opera and musicals, Brindley is thrilled that the concert is also helping to raise awaress of epilepsy and to bring in vital funds to The Meath. Despite 24/7 support and careful epilepsy management, Amy experiences up to ten seizures a day. Due to the risks posed by her complex epilepsy she can’t safely be left alone. Living at The Meath has enabled her to have the independence and creative fulfillment she craves, while ensuring that she is always safe.
Despite a packed schedule of rehearsals and performances across Europe, Brindley was delighted to join Amy and The Meath Choir to see what they have planned for their forthcoming performance on stage at the Opera Gala and took the opportunity to catch up with us in interview.
Brindley Sherratt Q&A
What Can we expect from the Opera Gala?
“We’re very excited to present this Opera Gala. It will be a collection of my friends who are some of the best opera performers on the planet, all in one place in one afternoon on 15th June.
We will be singing songs, arias from operas. Most of them you will know and will have heard at some point, and we will include some Operetta and songs from Musical Theatre too. Our program will not be anything that is too highbrow. There will be very touching moments, but a lot of it will be quite light, quite funny. 11 of us are taking to the stage, and in fact many of the performers also joined us in a fundraising concert at Glyndebourne, back in 2022. It was a fantastic day, we raised quite a lot of money, and we had a lot of fun doing it. So I’m thrilled and quite humbled that they’ll be joining me on stage again in aid of The Meath- a cause that is very close to my heart.”
What impact will the Concert have for the people supported by The Meath?
“Obviously, I want to have a good time and present a good concert, but I actually want to use the opportunity to raise awareness of epilepsy and disability. I’m also looking forward to seeing the effects of what our money or your money would make on the people supported by The Meath.”
Brindley on championing access to Nature at The Meath
“The Meath sits in about 12 acres of woodland, but a lot of it is inaccessible. One of the things we really hope to do with some of the money raised on the day is to create a nature trail around this area, so that the residents can walk around, or some of them in wheelchairs can be pushed around in safety, but can be outside in nature. I’ve been passionate about that for quite a long time, so I hope we can make that happen.”
I would say this but...the benefits of Singing & Music are huge!
“It goes without saying, as it’s my job, but I’m a great advocate for the positive effects that singing can have on us physically, mentally, spiritually, socially. Singing with a group of people is life-enhancing. People are starting to understand the positive effects of communal singing, with Jacob Collier getting everybody to sing, and with Gareth Malone, people have started to realize now that singing in a choir is an amazing bonding experience for people. That’s what happens here at The Meath, Phoebe Gaydon, Meath Choir leader is incredibly dynamic and engaging and the Meath Choir is so inclusive and joyous. The money raised with this concert can go a long way in ensuring that The Meath Choir and Music programmes are funded.”
We also want to increase Awareness of Epilepsy & Disability
“Epilepsy affects over half a million people in the UK. But there is a lack of knowledge about the condition, and how it affects different people in different ways. So, alongside raising the money, alongside having a great time, it’s just a flag up that these are people who have epilepsy, who have seizures of various forms, but that first and foremost, they are people.
I want to show that the people supported by The Meath, are not defined by their epilepsy, but they are people who have passions, they have interests. They are incredibly gifted in many ways, including musically gifted, they are people who want friends, boyfriends, girlfriends. Just like anyone else, they have fun, they have passions.”
