A music group from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, comprising children and adults with learning disabilities, has performed in New York, achieving a long-standing ambition of the late MP Sir David Amess.
The Music Man Project, a charity that teaches music to people with learning disabilities, received a standing ovation at the Town Hall in New York. The venue, founded in 1921 by suffragists, hosted a full house of almost 1,500 people.
Sir David Amess, the former president of the project and Southend West MP, had dreamed of the group performing in New York before his murder in 2021. David Stanley, the project's founder, stated that he made it his mission to fulfil that promise in Amess's memory. Stanley paid tribute to Amess during the performance, using a megaphone, one of Amess's signature accessories.
Stanley, who wrote, produced, and featured in the show, described the group's performance as "perfect" and "incredible." He also mentioned that their visit would include a performance at the United Nations.