Being part of a choir can help combat loneliness and offer support to its members

A group of women from Huntingdonshire have spoken about what it is like to be part of a military choir, ahead of the new Military Wives film which will be released on March 6.

The Wyton and Brampton Military Wives Choir was set up in September 2013, and currently has between 25-30 members ranging from 20-years old to 80-years old.

The group encourages people in the area to join to help combat loneliness within the military community, including those who have family members in the armed forces, as well as veterans.

There are now 76 choirs Military Wives choirs in British Military bases across the UK and overseas.

Helen Clark,46, has been a member of the choir for four years and she joined as her husband is serving in the RAF.

Helen said: "The choir is a wonderful support network. We have had choir babies, choir weddings and sadly lost a couple of members. We have on occasion come together to support each other as a choir but also when people have faced personal issues. Our unique understanding of the challenges of military life mean that we are able to afford members a flexibility that other choirs may not offer. Some people join with no intention of performing but everyone ends up joining in."

"My husband is in the RAF and retires at the end of the year after 38 years. My father was also in the RAF and I was born while he was serving at RAF Wyton. I have moved round the country and lived overseas and then ended up back at RAF Wyton."

"We like to ensure that we support local charities and initiatives so that contributors can really appreciate where their donations go. We like to think we can make a difference in the local communities through both performances and the money we raise.

"Having said that we have had several opportunities to participate in performances with the wider network. Examples include being backing singers for a Lulu track and performing the song when Lulu was on tour, recording several albums including the most recent one, Remember, performing at Peterborough Cathedral and planting poppies at the Tower of London in 2014."

The group will be attending a live screening of the premier of the Military Wives film at Cinerworld, in Huntingdon, on February 24.

Tickets can be purchased from the Cineworld website.

The choir will next be performing on February 29 at Chatteris Parish Church at 7.30pm in collaboration with the Huntingdon Male Voice Choir.

Tickets are £12.50 (paid in advance) or £15 on the door, available from Stephen Parr on: 01354 693160.

Wyton and Brampton Military Wives choir meets weekly. There are no auditions and along with wives the choir is open to serving personnel, veterans, mothers and daughters. For further details, contact : wytonandbrampton@militarywiveschoirs.org.