Fund-raiser Helen has write stuff

Helen Slater singer songwriter placed in UK songwriters Competition

A WOMAN who has raised around £1 million for charity has turned singer songwriter.

Helen Slater helped to set up the weekly lottery at Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, Royton, during five years of work as a fund-raiser.

She quit the post earlier this year to work in the travel industry, but her fortunes took a turn when she participated in songwriters’ competition.

Helen wrote her first album last year, and entered two of her songs into the the UK Songwriting Contest 2008.

Called “Turn Your Frown Upside Down” and “Bonfire Nights and Birthdays,” they were chosen among the top 15 per cent of more than 6,200 songs, and placed as semi-finalist entries.

They were studied by a panel of music industry experts from organisations ranging from BBC Radio, to the BRIT School.

Helen said: “I have always loved music from being a small child. I trained as an opera singer and had piano lessons.”

She also directed a school production of the “Wizard of Oz” aged 10, and performed in “Lancashire Bobbin,” a show about the cotton industry.

By 11, she was singing in the Rochdale Music Festival, when she earned two first places.

After a break to raise her family, she was inspired to pick up a guitar and write after three years as organiser of Bacup Folk Club.

Helen says she specialises in emotive and real-life songs. She is currently in Turkey, working on her second album.

Find out more from her website: