by Ailsa Marshall
A Bristol choir for new parents has launched a petition after new council charges threatened the future of its outdoor singing sessions.
The BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby) Choir, which runs classes in four Bristol parks including St Andrew’s Park, says it faces around £400 a year in fees under Bristol City Council’s new licensing scheme.
Choir leader Julia Turner has launched a petition urging the council to reconsider the fee structure for postnatal wellbeing groups. At the time of writing, it had attracted more than 600 signatures.
Many of the mothers attending the choir said it had become an important source of support during maternity leave.
Hannah, who returned to the choir with thirteen-month-old Maggie after first going with her son Jude, described it as “a lifeline”.
“It was one of the highlights of maternity leave with my son Jude, and I knew that I wanted to come back,” she said.
“I actually went back to work after I’d had my son, but I kept Tuesdays off so I could keep coming. It’s so good for my wellbeing. I love being out in the park and being with other mums at a similar stage of life.”
Emma, whose daughter Amelia is just nine weeks old, explained the choir gave her a “sense of solidarity which is so important, especially in these early days because the first few weeks are tough”.
Several women said they had sung in choirs before becoming parents but now found evening rehearsals difficult. They described BYOB Choir as rare in creating a space centred on mothers as well as babies, where women could reconnect with hobbies and friendships during maternity leave.
Julia said the classes are designed to support women in the postnatal period, when many mothers are vulnerable to isolation and poor mental health. Come rain or shine – even in winter – the choir meets in Bristol’s parks for 45 minutes of uplifting singing.
She described the new fees as “really insulting” and questioned why “dogs are being prioritised over vulnerable groups”.
Despite the additional costs, she said she remained committed to keeping the choir running and would do whatever it took to continue the sessions, even if that meant moving to private spaces or seeking community funding.
Anna, who attends with baby Serin, said losing the choir would be “such a shame”.
“It’s got a really strong social element and I’ve made some lovely friends through it too.”
Others described the sessions as “really good for mental health” and “freeing and relaxing” – and the babies certainly seemed to enjoy it.
The council introduced the new licensing scheme last month. So far, 85 businesses have applied for licences. A 50 per cent discount is available to businesses with a turnover under £25,000 and using seven or fewer parks.
It has said it will review the scheme in time for renewal of the licences in 2027.
Labour’s Councillor Tom Renhard told a meeting of the council’s public health and communities policy committee last month that the choir provided clear social benefit
“This requires an urgent review, and the roll out should be paused until further work has been done to address the feedback given by residents and those running local community organisations and businesses,” he said.