A former member of Fermanagh Brightstarz has spoken about the “loving family feel” of the group.

The group needs your vote as they vie for a deserved share of the Readers Choice Cash For Charity initiative run by The Impartial Reporter’s parent company, Newsquest.

Shelley Cowan, who starred in this year’s Fermanagh Brightstarz production of ‘A Very Blues Brothers Sister Act’ reflected on her time in the group who have been like a family for her since she joined them.

Shelley’s confidence skyrocketed with the group and she is grateful for all of the support and encouragement she received from them and everything they do to support adults with disabilities.

Explaining how she got involved with the group, Shelley said: “The reason I got started was after I was bed bound for 12 years, I wanted to find somewhere to socialise. I had seen the Brightstarz production of ‘Grease’ in the Ardhowen and got in touch with Gemma Maguire Carrothers and the leaders.”

Brightstarz had volunteers help Shelley by moving her arms and wheelchair when she was unable to move them when she first joined.

Speaking of her early days with the group she said: “I was very low in confidence, and I did not want a mic near me, the first show was Mamma Mia and I had two lines to sing, I don’t think I breathed the whole night until I sang them.”

“Brightstarz said I had talent and talent was there. [For a later show] they told me I was to sing Susan Boyle’s ‘I Dreamed a Dream’, and I said ‘I can’t do this’. For six months at rehearsal I sat at the table, I shook [with nerves] , the table was shaking and this was with one person in the room.

"They talked to me and told me I could do it and then when I got on stage, the shaking stopped and the feeling that I had was amazing, I got a standing ovation. To go from not being fit to sing in front of one person to sing in front of hundreds was unreal.”

The Fermanagh Brightstarz is a “pure party and I have made lifetime friends, and even though I have left it now, I am going to pop in every so often on a Tuesday and join in with dances with them and I’ll support them through it. I’ll probably be the first one booking tickets next year".

The group recently came together to have a ball to watch their performance video and for a meal, which incorporated Shelley’s 40th birthday, further emphasising the true community feel of the group.