Abbey Belles is a long‑established women’s a cappella and barbershop chorus based in Selby, performing across Yorkshire and taking part in national competitions. We’re known for our friendly community, strong musical leadership and more than 30 years of harmony.
About Us
Abbey Belles 2026
Abbey Belles has been part of Selby’s musical community for more than 31 years, continuing to grow in confidence, skill and harmony. We’re an a cappella and barbershop chorus who love singing together, performing at events and developing our sound year after year.
Our Musical Leadership
Our Musical Director, Catrina Lakin, has led the chorus since 2015, building on the strong foundations created by former MD Anne Turner. With support from Assistant Musical Director Helen Rainford and our dedicated committees, the chorus continues to improve, grow and — most importantly — have fun.
Who We Are Today
We pride ourselves on being a friendly, welcoming chorus where singers work hard, support each other and enjoy every rehearsal. We love performing at events of all kinds, bringing close‑harmony music to audiences across Selby and Yorkshire.
Our Story – The Early Days
Abbey Belles began in 1994, founded by well‑known local barbershoper Alwyn Pooley. In 1999, Carol Lakin became Musical Director, guiding the chorus into LABBS — the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers — and leading us to our first national competition, where we won the Best Novice Chorus trophy.
In 2003, under Jon Walker, we qualified to sing at the LABBS national convention for the first time and won another trophy at the Rothwell Music Festival.
Competitions & Achievements
In 2008, Abbey Belles joined the LABBS mentoring scheme under the guidance of the White Rosettes, one of England’s top barbershop choruses. Their support helped us achieve 12th place at national convention, a result we repeated in 2009 .
Our competition success has continued:
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2023 Harrogate Convention – our highest score ever
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2024 BIBA International Convention (Spain) – an even higher score, marking another step forward in our musical journey.
We’re proud of our progress and excited for what comes next.
Join Us
We’re always looking for new singers — especially bass voices — to join our friendly, ambitious chorus. Whether you’re experienced or brand new to singing, you’ll find support, laughter and a warm welcome at Abbey Belles.