A group of singing firefighters are fundraising to perform at a special memorial concert for their transatlantic colleagues who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks.
The Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service Choir was born out of a BBC television show The Choir: Sing While You Work, and saw Macclesfield firefighters Matt Lloyd, Daniel Selby and Phil Marke discover their talent for singing.
Although they didn’t go on to win the contest, the three have remained members of the choir and are now hoping to represent the borough at a Memorial Concert at Ground Zero in New York.
In order to raise enough money for the trip, next February, the trio will be taking on a challenge to climb 830meters, the combined height of the twin towers, while wearing full fire kit.
Watch Manager Phil Marke, who has been in the choir from the start and featured in the programme, said: “The events of that fateful day in September 2001 had a profound effect on all of us in the UK fire and rescue service.
“Performing The Rising is our way of never forgetting our colleagues in America and to be able to perform it at Ground Zero will be a most moving and poignant experience.
“We will also be meeting New York firefighters to share comradeship and hear their stories from that day.”
They will take on the challenge outside Macclesfield Town Hall tomorrow (Saturday, November 14), from 11am until 2pm.
Other choir members will be at the event and, although not ladder climbing, will sing to support their colleagues.
The memorial concert will be held in February 2016 and the choir will perform their signature song, The Rising.
The song, written by Bruce Springsteen, is always sung at the end of all their performances as it tells the story of a firefighter who is inside one of the towers on that fateful day and realises he isn’t going to survive.
Choir members are raising money for flights and accommodation, and will be taking annual leave for the trip.
They are looking to raise a total of £8,000 and have set up a Just Giving page for anyone wishing to donate.
While in New York the choir has also been invited to sing in a special concert at the Carnegie Hall where they will be performing Paul Mealor’s ‘Stabat Mater’.
