I lead a community choir in Northampton.

Some years ago I was a member of a community choir led by the wonderful Beccy Owen. When I moved away, I thought the best replacement would be to start a choir myself. For the past four years I’ve been doing this, making mistakes, learning a huge amount, and trying to remember to have fun.

We sing mainly sea shanties and Schubert lieder, with a bit of jazz, some klapa, African folk, 1960s pop, Russian choral pieces, spirituals, gushy slushy ballads, Abba, Australian banjo songs, anthems, hymns and Eighteenth Century rounds – there seems to be no limit.

I also use singing in my work in a secure psychiatric hospital.