NOW we have reached the ninth category in our countdown to the Examiner Community Awards and today we look at the three finalists nominated for the Arts Award in the run-up to the presentation night next Thursday.

The awards are split into 14 categories and we are profiling every one between now and the glittering evening at the John Smith’s Stadium so you know just who has been nominated and shortlisted. The winners will be revealed at the event which is hosted by ITN news-reader Nina Hossain.

Tomorrow: It’s Saturday so the ideal day to look at the final three competing for the Sports Team of the Year trophy.

THE joy of singing has brought together a talented group of young people.

ReJoySing! is a small group of school-age singers formed in 2008. They rehearse every week at Moldgreen United Reformed Church.

Over the years the numbers have fluctuated and today there are five singers, aged from 12 upwards – all girls. Taking on the big school choirs, ReJoySing! has been highly commended in the Mrs Sunderland Music Festival.

The group was formed by well-known professional musician and musical director Gordon Balmforth through Caritas, the charity set up by musicians and singers. The girls have become one of the main fundraisers for Caritas, which helps people with long term medical conditions.

They give up their free time to attend weekly practice sessions under the exacting eye – and ear – of Mr Balmforth as well as travelling into the community to sing in residential homes for the elderly, care homes, charity fundraisers and public concerts.

After supporting other singers and musicians for many years, ReJoySing! are to host their own concert with invited guest performers in September of this year.

Gordon, who was Roy Orbison’s pianist on his 1972 world tour, said: “Over the years the girls have grown immensely in their musicianship and now, even at a strength of five, are skilled at singing at three-part harmony, as well as singing in Italian, German and Latin.”

Their repertoire ranges from Panis Angelicus by Cesar Franck through Disney songs and specially written numbers to Miley Cyrus’ The Climb.

The group never fail to impress wherever they perform and sometimes their music has the power to leave the audience misty-eyed.

Gordon added: “Not only does their singing benefit the wider community, but also their own self-confidence and they present an assured performance of high artistic merit wherever they go.

“They just sing out and they are good. The girls have become a tight-knit group and they really enjoy singing and learning new songs.

“They are a very talented group – I don’t think they realise how good they are.”

AN innovative art gallery in Huddersfield is playing a vital role in breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health.

Packhorse Gallery was opened earlier this year and is run by Support to Recovery (S2R), a mental health charity promoting positive images of mental health across Kirklees.

But it does far more than that as it receives 12,000 referrals from GPs and mental health nurses every year.

The charity was formed around five years ago when two other mental health charities – Concern For Mental Health and Depression, Anxiety, Self-Help (Dash) joined together.

Led by S2R project manager Sian Smith, the team at the gallery organises daytime activities such as anger management, coping with anxiety, relaxation ... and even knitting, sewing and crafts.

The gallery is a unique concept which means people can walk in off the street and get instant help and advice on mental health issues and organisations that can help them. Support groups are based at the gallery.

Sian said: “It is the only one of its kind. It means people with mental health problems know there is somewhere for them to go if they don’t know where to start. We can point them in the right direction to services that can help them.

“We have private rooms here so people can talk to us in confidence. If someone is in crisis we can act immediately to help them.

“We provide information on mental health in order to reduce stigma and raise awareness and give everyone the opportunity to benefit from creative therapies.”

She added: “This is not a ‘tip-toe’ gallery. We have big leather settees and play music including blues and rock.”

The gallery was set up after two years funding was provided by Kirklees Community Partnership and the South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust Creative Minds scheme.

Anyone can exhibit at the gallery – around a third of the artists have mental health problems – and if they sell a piece of work 30% of it goes to S2R.

Sian added: “At the Packhorse Gallery we’ve seen first-hand the difference creativity can make to an individual’s confidence, well-being and positivity.

“It proves very important to people who exhibit with us that they can express themselves in a creative way – and now have an outlet to display their works.”

JOHN Cotgrave has achieved the seemingly impossible – he has made Shakespeare trendy among schoolchildren of all ages.

His passion and enthusiasm for The Bard has rubbed off on students of all ages and led to a huge renaissance of Shakespeare and his plays throughout Huddersfield.

The momentum began back in 2009 when The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) came to Honley High School, where John teaches drama, for a collaborative project.

Working alongside colleagues Caroline Davenport-Jones and Emma Daniels, John has ensured that the collaboration has not only continued, but snowballed and now involves 14 primary and secondary schools.

In 2010 the school staged a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the RSC work culminated in a King Lear festival in 2011, which also involved a school from Dubai. Honley High and Rowley Lane schools went on to perform their pieces at Stratford’s RSC Swan Theatre

Recently some 300 pupils from different schools staged a Shakespeare medley at Honley High. The event was a huge success and a complete sell-out, with 750 seats filled over the three nights.

John said: “The whole Shakespeare thing has become a wild beast beyond control.

“It has captured the imagination of students and it’s getting bigger as the years go by. We have other schools who want to get involved and the kids adore it.

“It is absolutely brilliant, I get such a buzz standing in the hall for the dress rehearsals and an overwhelming sense of pride to see kids from six to 16 engaged in Shakespeare projects and loving it. It is a joy to come to work.”

Shakespeare is also incorporated into English and other lessons and youngsters have to consider Shakespearean language, plot, character, music and costumes.

Honley High headteacher Chris Sylge said: “John’s work is exceptional. Not only has it seen a huge growth in the participation of pupils performing his plays, but it has also had a massive impact on improving literacy levels.”

John is already planning festivals based around Titus Andronicus and The Tempest.