The Choir was formed in 1956 as a Male Voice Choir for employees of the Pilkington (Glass) Company. Within a few months, it was apparent that there were too few members for a viable male voice choir, so ladies were invited to join to create a mixed choir. Over the years, membership has been widened to include singers from outside the company. We have seen a huge increase in membership over the last 10 years growing from 26 to our present number of 53 and despite having “lost” 26 members through retirement and other reasons in that time.

Although we have no direct links to, or financial support from, the Company, we still choose to be known as the "Pilkington Choir". Our activities are funded almost entirely by our members, through subscriptions, donations from concerts and internal money generating schemes. The Pilkington Family Trust allow us the use of our rehearsal room at a very  reasonable cost which does help greatly.

We have built up a considerable music library over the years but this has to be kept under constant review to appeal to present members and audiences alike. We budget to buy new music every year, meeting the cost principally from choir funds, but we have been lucky enough to have received funding from the Rainford Trust for this purpose, along with their generous support for other specific requirements, including the purchase of new uniforms. Another local funding organisation, the Harry & Mavis Pilkington Trust, has been generous enough to fund the creation and maintenance of our website – www.pilkingtonchoir.org.uk .

We are a friendly club and readily welcome new members, though we are struggling at present to accommodate new Sopranos as we’ve run out of chairs!! We would welcome  two or three experienced Alto voices as well as three/ four experienced Bass singers together with one experienced Tenor.(We say experienced because it is difficult for “beginners” to learn quickly enough to take part in concerts.)

Please contact Helen or Wynne so that we can give you our current position.