militarywiveschoirs

An Evening of Song at Stamford Corn Exchange

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 10:54:35 GMT

Stamford Programme

We are looking forward to singing at the Stamford Corn Exchange on Sunday. Please click this link for the full programme for the evening.

Military Wives The Musical

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 11:58:03 GMT

Military Wives The Musical opens in York

Only 24 hours to go before Military Wives The Musical premieres at @yorktheatreroyal! We had the opportunity to meet and sing with the cast last week - a real treat. We can't wait to see the show.

MWC mark the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 16:28:17 GMT

MWC mark the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day singing on 'This Morning'.

MWC were up early to go to Television Centre and appear on 'This Morning'. Very proud and privileged to be singing on the programme to mark the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day. So important for us, as a network of choirs of women connected to the military community, to recognise the sacrifice made by those who gave their lives in the Far East and Pacific for the freedoms that we enjoy today. Our first TV appearance with our inspirational new Artistic Director, Joanna Tomlinson. Fun to be conducted (briefly) by Emma and Craig. Also fantastic to be on the same programme as our Patron, the wonderful Gareth Malone. There are 3 clips to watch: Wherever You Are ; Sing; Gareth Malone

Announcement of new Fundraising Support from Pinnacle Service Families

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 09:08:15 GMT

We are delighted to announce that Pinnacle Services have invited MWC to be beneficiaries of their national fundraising efforts.

We are delighted to announce that Pinnacle Service Families, who manage the maintenance of 48,000 married quarters for the MOD, have invited the Military Wives Choirs to be beneficiaries of their national fundraising efforts.

They encourage their employees, many of whom are from service families, to raise funds throughout the year for military charities. They felt we would be an excellent match due to the close similarities between some of their staff, their client group of service families and our choirs.

Our Chief Executive, Wendy Human, recently met with Sarah Pittaway, who has been appointed as Divisional Director, to discuss Pinnacle's potential fundraising activities. Sarah outlined why Pinnacle had chosen the Military Wives Choirs.

"We were really looking for a charity that represents the people we serve and supports that community; The Military Wives Choirs were an obvious choice."

We look forward to helping Pinnacle plan their fundraising in the coming months and to promoting those events when they are finished.

New Virtual Choir

Fri, 30 May 2025 09:26:01 GMT

New Virtual Choir

Please see our exciting news about the launch of our newest choir - our pilot Virtual Choir. If you are interested in joining please send an email to us at info@militarywiveschoirs.org. To find out if you are eligible click this link

Military Wives Choirs New Board Member

Thu, 29 May 2025 15:30:52 GMT

Anne-Marie Trevelyan joins the Board of the Military Wives Choirs

The Military Wives Choirs is pleased to announce that Anne-Marie Trevelyan has joined the Board of Trustees.

Anne-Marie is a chartered accountant with 20 years business experience after training with Price Waterhouse. She was MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed (2015-2024), and government minister (2018-2024), serving four Prime Ministers as Secretary of State for International Development, International Trade, Transport; and as minister for defence procurement, energy & clean growth, and foreign affairs in the Indo-Pacific.

Anne-Marie led efforts in Parliament from 2015 to make the Armed Forces Covenant real, and get greater practical delivery on issues from spouse work challenges, to education places for military children, and healthcare and housing for military families.

She is passionate about music and sang with other MPs to raise money for charities supporting children injured by war.

Anne-Marie now works with defence industry and academia to strengthen UK resilience and preparedness in the difficult geopolitical world at present.

Anne-Marie is excited to be joining Military Wives Choirs as a Trustee and wants to bring her experience to support our amazing women and enjoy the music with them.

Caroline Paxton, Chair of Trustees, The Military Wives Choirs, 'We are very pleased to have Anne-Marie joining the Board. She brings a wealth of understanding of the MOD and military environment which will be invaluable as we grow and develop our choral network through our second decade.'

VE Day supporting Blind Veterans UK at Manchester Piccadilly Station

Mon, 12 May 2025 13:40:48 GMT

VE Day supporting Blind Veterans UK

On Thursday 8 May, the Military Wives Choirs supported Blind Veterans UK with a choir at Manchester Piccadilly Station where they were collecting for charity and holding a short Act of Remembrance next to their very wonderful sculpture. Our choir members came from seven different choirs across the North and the Midlands. They even sang 'Happy Birthday' to the standard bearer, who was celebrating his birthday on VE Day.

Mark De-Lisser becomes Ambassador for the Military Wives Choirs

Tue, 06 May 2025 11:40:48 GMT

The Military Wives Choirs is delighted to announce that Mark De-Lisser has become an Ambassador for the charity.

Mark is one of the most sought-after choral directors and vocal coaches in the UK. He has worked with some of today's top vocal talent, including Ariana Grande, Jessie J and Beverley Knight, and on some of the UK's most watched TV shows, including BBC's BAFTA nominated 'Our Dementia Choir' with Vicky McClure, 'Songs of Praise' and ITV's award winning 'The Masked Singer'.

Driven to inspire and motivate everybody to succeed, Mark helps to increase confidence and self-awareness, whilst improving technique and delivery. Mark is perhaps best known for his arrangement of Stand by Me, performed by the Kingdom Choir at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018, which has now been streamed more than 4 million times on Spotify and has over 10 million views on YouTube.

Please see the attached Press Release for full details. For more information, please contact the Military Wives Choirs Chief Executive, Wendy Human: whuman@militarywiveschoirs.org.

Military Wives Choirs Bids Farewell to Hilary Davan Wetton and Appoints Joanna Tomlinson as the new Artistic Director

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 18:46:25 GMT

Military Wives Choirs Bids Farewell to Hilary Davan Wetton and Appoints Joanna Tomlinson as the new Artistic Director

Military Wives Choirs bids farewell to its current Artistic Director, Hilary Davan Wetton. Hilary has been the much-loved Artistic Director of Military Wives Choirs since 2019. Military Wives Choirs is delighted to announce that he will be succeeded by leading conductor, singer and vocal coach Joanna Tomlinson.

Joanna Tomlinson has established an outstanding reputation for her work as conductor, singer and vocal coach with choirs of all ages and sizes.

As Principal Conductor of National Youth Choir’s Female/Non-Binary choir for five years, she made numerous recordings and conducted at venues including the Royal Albert Hall in London. In her time as Artistic Director of the internationally renowned Farnham Youth Choir

they were winners of two gold medals in the 2019 European Choir Games and featured in the live final of ITV’s X-Factor in 2018.

Choirs that Joanna works with regularly include Constanza Chorus and Whitehall Choir in London, and she often features as guest conductor with the BBC Symphony Chorus, Epiphoni and at the Royal Opera House on their Sing at the ROH programme. She has also delivered workshops and community singing programmes for Glyndebourne Opera, the Association of British Choral Directors and Association of Teachers of Singing.

Having gained a Distinction in Singing from the Royal College of Music, Joanna brings to her work the knowledge and experience of singing with world class professional choral groups such as the BBC Singers, London Voices, Gabrieli Consort, Philharmonia Voices and Sonoro.

A Royal Performance to Remember: The Military Wives Choirs at Buckingham Palace

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 12:57:48 GMT

A Royal Performance to Remember

In December 2024, The Military Wives Choirs had the extraordinary honour of performing at Buckingham Palace for Their Majesties, The King and Queen.

We were pleased to perform our latest single, November Sunday, written as a tribute to The King for his birthday, followed by the festive classic We Wish You a Merry Christmas. It was an unforgettable experience that will stay with us forever.

For many of our choir members, this performance was more than just an opportunity to sing in a prestigious setting; it was a powerful reminder of the strength and community that the choir represents. Each member of The Military Wives Choirs has a connection to the Armed Forces, whether as a spouse, partner, serving member or family member. These shared experiences of separation, resilience and sacrifice bond us together. Adding a touch of seasonal cheer, we concluded with We Wish You a Merry Christmas, spreading joy and warmth on a night brimming with festive spirit.

Moments like these are profoundly important for our members. Singing in The Military Wives Choirs is not just about music; it's about finding a voice, forming connections, and building a support network. Standing in the heart of British history, we were reminded of the value of community and the strength we draw from one another.

We asked some of our choir members who were part of this experience to share one thing that they enjoyed most:

'The opportunity to sing at such a prestigious event, representing the MWC and just experiencing the palace overall. Incredible!!! Something I'll never forget"

'Watching the faces of the King and Queen as we were singing to them"

"Everything, it's impossible to pick just one"

"One of the things I enjoyed most was singing for Their Majesties, meeting and chatting with them"

Please follow the link below to watch it on You Tube.

https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2024-12-12/the-military-wives-choirs-perform-for-the-king-and-queen-at-buckingham

Letter from His Majesty The King with thanks for 'November Sunday'

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 20:58:11 GMT

We are delighted to have received a letter of thanks from The King, expressing his appreciation for our new single, ‘November Sunday’, a song presented as an early birthday gift to celebrate His Majesty’s forthcoming birthday on 14th November.

In the letter, The King said: “I am writing to express my warmest possible gratitude for your very kind early birthday present, in the form of your new single, ‘November Sunday’. While those of us of a certain age may feel the need for any such birthday celebrations is in inverse proportion to our advancing years, I am none the less deeply touched by your wonderfully thoughtful tribute.

“I also wanted to thank you for your steadfast support not only for your loved ones serving in our Military, who sacrifice so much time away from you and your families to protect us, but also for one another.

“Having sung in a choir myself when I was at school, I know the joy of performing together can create close-knit friendships and support groups, and I remain a firm believer that music has a unique power to unite and inspire us all. My wife joins me in sending you all our blessings and kindest wishes.”

‘November Sunday’, released on 1st November, is a tribute to His Majesty and reflects the strong ties between the Royal Family and the Armed Forces. The song’s evocative lyrics reflect the joy brought to post-war Britain on 14th November 1948, marking the birth of the future King and celebrating the enduring bond with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The piece was recorded by 100 singers from the Military Wives Choirs, drawn from the network in the UK and overseas, alongside the magnificent sounds of The Band of the Household Cavalry. With music and lyrics by John McLaren, the track brings together the nostalgia of the 1940s, enhanced by the artistry of platinum-selling producer Sean Hargreaves (Sigala, Paloma Faith, Ella Eyre) and arranger Steve Turner. This cross-genre production offers both the formality of a military ensemble and a bright, pop-influenced appeal.

‘November Sunday’ is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube: all links to the project can be found here .

Our new single 'November Sunday' is out now!

Sat, 02 Nov 2024 18:27:08 GMT

We are delighted to announce that our latest song, ‘November Sunday’, is out now , honouring His Majesty The King’s birthday and reflecting the very close links between the Armed Forces and the Royal Family. 

The song captures the hope and joy brought to post-war Britain on 14th November 1948 with the birth of the future King, linking to his mother Queen Elizabeth II. Its beautiful, lullaby-like tune has been recorded by 100 singers drawn from members of the Military Wives Choirs network in the UK and abroad, accompanied by The Band of the Household Cavalry. 

For ‘November Sunday’, music & lyrics by John McLaren, platinum-selling producer Sean Hargreaves  (Sigala, Paloma Faith, Ella Eyre) , and arranger Steve Turner have brought together the evocative soundscape of the 1940s, the pomp and circumstance of The Band of the Household Cavalry, the largest regular military Band, and a bright, pop-influenced musicality and instrumentation to create a memorable track with cross-genre appeal.

The singers are conducted by the Military Wives Choirs’ Artistic Director, Hilary Davan Wetton, one of the country’s most renowned choral conductors, and The Band of the Household Cavalry by Major Craig Bywater.

Caroline Paxton, Chair of Trustees said: "Our charity is founded on the principles of community and support; we do this through forging deep connections with one another through the power of singing.

 “For our first recording since 2020 we wanted to celebrate the special relationship the Armed Forces enjoy with the Royal Family.  ‘November Sunday’ is our own heartfelt gift to His Majesty and was inspired by our deep appreciation and admiration for his service to this nation. 

“The song, with words and music by John McLaren, is set at the moment of the future King’s birth, echoing the joy the news brought to a country still recovering from war. It also pays tribute to his mother, the beloved late Queen Elizabeth II, who, like many members of our network, served in the Armed Forces and was also a military wife.  

“Our intention is that the song will enter into the core repertoire for our network of 70 choirs across the UK and overseas and be performed regularly around this time of year. We hope The King will enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoy singing it.”

Producer Sean Hargreaves said: “When crafting the song, we were aiming for an emotional singer-songwriter feel, similar in approach to Taylor Swift's ‘Folklore’, but expanded to a choir of a hundred voices rather than a solo artist.

“To achieve this, we had acoustic guitars in the foreground, arranged the rhythm section to ebb and flow, giving the arrangement plenty of space.  This more modern feel complements John McLaren’s nostalgic lyrics beautifully.

“What sets this song apart is how we incorporated The Band of the Household Cavalry.  Rather than the way military bands are traditionally heard, we showcased them in a more cinematic style - similar to how a band like Radiohead or a film score might use orchestration - to add depth and colour.”

‘November Sunday’  is available to listen, watch and purchase now - find out more here.

Military Wives Choir in 2025

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 11:28:41 GMT

Military Wives Choirs' in Concert

The Military Wives Choirs will be performing live on Friday 9 May on Sunday 5 October at the Corn Exchange, Stamford..

To book tickets please click on the link below:

Sunday 5 October 2025 Corn Exchange, Stamford

'For Your Tomorrow'

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:54:03 GMT

'For Your Tomorrow' - National Trust, Stowe

The Military Wives Choirs were delighted to be part of the 'For Your Tomorrow' memorial tribute to soldiers killed in the D Day landing on 6 June 1944. A truly moving and beautiful experience at The National Trust, Stowe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbFr3d0lRQ4 . We are very much looking forward to performing there again on 3 November.

Happy 12th Birthday!

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:54:00 GMT

A Great Milestone

It's our 12th birthday and we are going strong and have grown to a network of 70 choirs worldwide. Take a look at where it all began. Many of the women in our launch video are still part of our network and have been in multiple choirs all over the world. This song is still one of our favourites.

https://youtu.be/M0f4Gue4X68?si=3dyDuHAPROtlwBgk

All of our choirs are recruiting. If you are a woman impacted by your military connection and would like to join us follow the link to find your nearest choir:

https://www.militarywiveschoirs.org/find-a-choir

With thanks to our Patron and Ambassadors Gareth Malone Laura Wright and John Haywood

#singsharesupport #singingforwellbeing #singingforfun #StrongerTogether #militarywiveschoirs

Shoulder to Shoulder Workshop

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 14:16:37 GMT

Military Wives Choirs recently got all of their Scottish choirs and Musical Directors together for a Masterclass in vocal development and conducting.

It was a delight to see nearly 100 women impacted by their military connection come together to sing, share and support in the beautiful setting of Pitlochry. The workshop included opportunities for all of the choirs to sing together as an ensemble led by Artistic Director Hilary Davan Wetton, fantastic vocal coaching from Suzzie Vango, Shavani Rattan and Lizzie Drury from renowned a cappella vocal group Papagena and a brilliant vocal care session from our own Anna Bolton, all accompanied by accompanist Neil Metcalfe. Hilary also provided an incomparable Masterclass in conducting for those present. Each of our choirs provided a taste of their renditions of some of our core repertoire over lunch much to the delight of the other choirs and the intrigue of other guests staying in the Atholl Palace Hotel.

The Naval Review - 'Understanding women impacted by their military connection'

jhudson@militarywiveschoirs.org (Julia Hudson) — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 11:15:21 GMT

Our Chair of Trustees, Caroline Paxton, has written an article for The Naval Review about the Military Wives Choirs and what we offer to women across the military community: 'Understanding women impacted by their military connection'.

You can read it here: Understanding Women Impacted By Their Military Connection - The Naval Review (naval-review.com)

The Military Wives Choirs launches call for composers

jhudson@militarywiveschoirs.org (Julia Hudson) — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 20:32:01 GMT

Thanks to funding, the Military Wives Choirs is delighted to announce a new commission and invites applications from composers across the musical landscape.

Who we are

The Military Wives Choirs is a community of over 2000 women in 70 choirs across the UK and internationally. We come together to celebrate a love of singing and a communal understanding that comes from our members' shared experiences of the Armed Forces.

We welcome all women whose lives are currently impacted by their military connection; our network supports each other and forms life-changing friendships that lead to new and uplifting experiences through singing.

Military life across the services has its challenges. Some families move yearly to a new posting, while for others deployments mean long periods of separation. With choirs across the UK and overseas, many of our members join a new choir when they are posted, enabling them to become part of a familiar community built upon the joy of singing.

Singing in a choir has been proven to increase wellbeing and improve mental and physical health. With no auditions and no pressure to perform, the Military Wives Choirs gives its members the opportunity to spend time with women that truly understand the challenges associated with military life.

We are the Military Wives Choirs. We connect women in the military community and create a support network through the power of singing.

What we are looking for

The Military Wives Choirs is unique in its proposition; with over 2000 singers, we achieve genuine artistic excellence and make a valuable contribution to the choral landscape, while being proud that our choirs are musically inclusive and non-auditioned.

We are fortunate to be supported in this by a dedicated and talented musical family, including the choirs’ local Musical Directors, the charity’s Artistic Director Hilary Davan Wetton, Producers and Ambassadors Sean Hargreaves and John Haywood and mezzo-soprano Laura Wright.

The choirs have a varied and high-profile performance schedule, from performances in their local military and civilian communities through to performances and recordings with BBC Radio 2 and Radio 3 In Tune, Scala Radio, BBC and ITV television, and at venues including the Houses of Parliament, St James’s Palace, Cadogan Hall and cathedrals and concert halls across the country.

The Military Wives Choirs have a shared ‘core repertoire’, which facilitates large-scale performances and projects and, most importantly, ensures that members can move to a new choir and immediately come together through singing and experience the wellbeing benefits of choir membership.

We are excited to have the opportunity through a piece of grant funding to commission our next iconic song to join our core repertoire. We are looking for a song which reflects and is inspired by the amazing women in our network and the joyful, uplifting role choir plays in their lives. The song needs to be upbeat, moving and of high musical quality, staying in the ears and hearts of both performers and audiences long after its close.

Who can apply

The Military Wives Choirs welcomes submissions from songwriters, composers and other artists. This submission should ultimately be in the form of a choral melody with lyrics, in two to three upper voice parts with piano accompaniment. You will collaborate with our choirs throughout this process; our members will provide inspiration for the lyrics but we do not have a lyricist.

To apply to fulfil this opportunity, please send your CV along with a previous example of your work, a summary of your vision for the song and a quote for the costs involved to Julia Hudson, Artistic Planning & Engagement Manager via commission@militarywiveschoirs.org . If you would like to have an informal conversation about the project, please contact Julia via this email address.

There will then be a shortlisting process; following this we will arrange for shortlisted candidates to speak to our panel.

The closing date for applications is 15 ^th January 2024.

The Military Wives Choirs launches its research report, Open Arms, in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University

acreamer@militarywiveschoirs.org (Alex Creamer) — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 08:52:17 GMT

New research finds mental and physical health benefits to joining the Military Wives Choirs

Increased mental and physical wellbeing and greater social connectedness are among the benefits for women joining choirs aimed at women in the military community, according to new research carried out by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).

The Military Wives Choirs, in partnership with ARU, has today published ‘Open Arms’, a report following the completion of a year-long research project, undertaken through a collaboration between the Veterans & Families Institute for Military Social Research (VFI) and the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research (CIMTR) , both based at ARU.

Endorsed by the Chief of Defence People, Vice Admiral Philip Hally CB MBE, the report sheds a light on the stresses and strains of military life and the ways in which the Military Wives Choirs community alleviates these challenges.

Regular postings of military personnel and their families are eased by the presence of choirs in multiple locations – there are 70 choirs in the UK and overseas – and the existence of core repertoire, a shared music which is familiar to all. Long periods of separation due to deployments are made easier through the support and understanding of fellow choir members.

The report also highlights the benefits of singing in a choir which include personal development and empowerment, greater social connectedness, and increased mental and physical wellbeing. In response to the research survey, one choir member stated: “The positive impact that choir has on my mental health cannot be overstated. Choir is my safe space and the time in the week where I feel calm, I can escape from my anxieties and finish the rehearsal feeling re-energised.”

One of the main reasons uncovered in the report for why women in the military community may not join a choir was a lack of awareness of eligibility. The Military Wives Choirs welcomes all women with a military connection including wives and partners of serving personnel, currently serving women, ex-servicewomen, wives, partners and widows of veterans, and immediate family members of those currently serving.

Professor Matt Fossey , Director of the Veterans and Families Institute for Military Social Research at Anglia Ruskin University, said: “Partners of military personnel face unique challenges, such as long periods of separation due to deployment, and relocation due to military postings. Our research found that the choirs provide opportunities for women to build relationships, take part in a social activity they enjoy, and feel a sense of accomplishment. Several barriers and challenges were also identified during the course of our research and this report provides a solid basis for the charity to address those issues.”

Wendy Human, Director of the Military Wives Choirs, said: “This report and the research behind it is crucial to us; it highlights the sense of community we create which is unparalleled in the sector, and this simply wouldn’t be possible without the scientifically proven benefits of group singing. What sets us apart from a coffee morning or a book club is that our members join a choir for the singing, and they stay in a choir because of the improvement in their emotional and physical wellbeing. Increasing evidence suggests that social connections play a vital role in maintaining our health – the sense of community and camaraderie that is quickly built at our choirs, through an unspoken understanding of military life, is another part of the myriad benefits choir members get through being part of this incredible network.”

Music therapist Jodie Bloska , Clinical Research Fellow at Anglia Ruskin University, added: “We know that music, particularly singing together, has a unique ability to foster social connections and improve emotional and physical health. Our research shows that members of the Military Wives Choirs value these benefits and are empowered through singing together as a group of women with shared experiences. However, this research also recognises barriers to involvement and the need to widen access. Based on the recommendations of this report, the charity has the opportunity to ensure more women in the military community are able to benefit from joining a choir that is tailored to them.”

Following the launch of this report, the Military Wives Choirs will undertake a recruitment campaign which will increase awareness of its eligibility criteria and highlight the benefits of joining its network of choirs.

To download the Executive Summary, click here .

To download the Full Report, click here .

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 19:01:13 GMT

Lieutenant General Sir Gary Coward, KBE, CB, National Chairman of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity said: “All in SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity are greatly saddened to hear of the death of our Patron, Her Majesty The Queen. As the longest serving British Monarch in history, The Queen’s unquestioning duty and dedication to the nation and the Commonwealth will be deeply and profoundly missed.

“In 1952 The Queen became Patron of SSAFA and together with Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, she supported and fundraised for SSAFA throughout her life. As the Nation and the World mourns, our thoughts are with our new King as well as our President, His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent and the Royal Family; I speak on behalf of the charity in offering our deepest and most heartfelt condolences at this difficult time.”

Maggie Pedder, Chair of Trustees of the Military Wives Choirs said: "The Military Wives Choirs trustees, team and choir members on British military bases across the world are greatly saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty The Queen. Our thoughts are with the other members of the Royal Family at this most difficult time. We remember her duty, dedication and compassion to the nation and the Commonwealth; Her Majesty will be truly missed."

Tickets Released for the Concerts Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Military Wives Choirs

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:54:09 GMT

Following on from the announcement of our concert series to celebrate the Military Wives Choirs turning 10, we are pleased to share the news that tickets have now officially been released for the first two concerts in the series: St Albans and Winchester.

Our first concert will take place at St Albans Cathedral on Saturday 18 June 2022, and tickets are now available on our concerts page.

The second of our concerts, based at Winchester Cathedral, will be held on Friday 22 July 2022. Tickets can also be purchased on our concerts page .

The other three concerts, for which tickets will be released soon, are:

Lincoln Cathedral—Friday 2 September 2022

Exeter Cathedral—Saturday 24 September 2022

Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh — Saturday 29 October 2022

Maggie Pedder, our Chair of Trustees, wins the Family Volunteer of the Year award

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Mon, 02 May 2022 09:41:33 GMT

On Friday 29th April 2022, the Military Wives Choirs had the pleasure of attending and performing at the 2022 Celebrating Forces Families Awards—and we were delighted to watch our Chair of Trustees, Maggie Pedder, win the Family Volunteer of the Year award.

Maggie is a modest person, having spent most of her life in a “behind the scenes” role, with very little public recognition. She started volunteering in the 1990s with SSAFA and Relate whilst her husband was serving in the Army in Germany. Maggie continued to volunteer her time with the Army Families Federation, the Army Widows Association, the Peter Cowley African Trust, ABF the Soldiers’ Charity, and the Military Wives Choirs—both since its inception in 2012 and as Chair over the past three years.

As a charity, we have benefitted greatly from Maggie’s support since she joined us, and we are so pleased that her valuable contributions to the charity sector have been marked with such a prestigious award. We look forward to continuing to progress under the guidance of Maggie, and we are very excited to see how we grow over the coming months and years.

Military Wives Choir to support Katherine Jenkins at Sandringham Concert

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 11:15:23 GMT

Katherine Jenkins and the Military Wives Choirs to perform at Sandringham

Welsh Superstar Mezzo Soprano Katherine Jenkins OBE will perform in Sandringham Royal Parkland as part of the Sandringham Estate’s celebrations to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Katherine will headline this very special concert on Friday 3 June, joined for the performance by special guests the Military Wives Choirs, symphony orchestra and with a Proms Finale.

Concert Promoter Colin Ward said, “We are delighted that Katherine has agreed to perform this truly memorable concert”.

The performance will form part of the weekend’s celebrations at Sandringham, Her Majesty The Queen’s private estate in Norfolk, which also includes a traditional Beacon lighting, a Pagent of Motoring and a live screening of the ‘Platinum Party at the Palace’ in the Royal Parkland.

We are thrilled to be performing at this event as a part of this very special year.

Tickets are now on sale, via our concerts page.

Research project announcement with Anglia Ruskin University

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 16:36:53 GMT

Throughout 2022 we will be undertaking research into barriers to entry into our choirs faced by women in the military community. We know many of our current members struggled to get over the threshold into their first rehearsal, and we also know that since joining they’ve never looked back!

Funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust’s Tackling Loneliness & Isolation grant, the research will be carried out by academics from both the Veterans & Families Institute for Military Social Research, and the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, both based at Anglia Ruskin University.

Professor Helen Odell-Miller OBE, Director of the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research at ARU, said: “We are honoured to be part of this essential collaboration furthering the understanding of how music contributes to the well- being and quality of life of those who support the military workforce. At CIMTR we are thrilled about the mutual collaboration and enrichment which will happen through working with Military Wives Choirs and ARU's Veterans and Families Institute for Military Social Research.”

Matt Fossey, Director of the Veterans and Families Institute for Military Social Research at ARU, said: “This is an important collaboration that will gives us meaningful insights into the positive contributions that music makes to the families of Military personnel. This research will also help with the understanding of any barriers that exist to participating in these groups. This is key to making the Military Wives Choirs as accessible as possible.”

Researchers will work closely with current choir members through questionnaires, focus groups and interviews to discover their hesitancies around joining a choir. The year-long research project will culminate in a recruitment drive focused at breaking down the barriers uncovered in the course of the research. Academics from the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research at ARU will also work to produce a monitoring tool to enable us to evaluate the impact choir has for its members.

For more information, please see the press release.

Military Wives Choirs’ Commemoration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 10:45:57 GMT

The lighting of beacons has long been a tradition to celebrate royal events, such as jubilees, weddings, and coronations—and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is no exception!

On 2nd of June 2022, the Queen’s 70th year as our Monarch and Head of the Commonwealth will be celebrated up and down the United Kingdom, as well as throughout the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, UK Overseas Territories, and capital cities of Commonwealth countries.

More than 1500 beacons will be lit in recognition of this unique milestone, and coinciding with the lighting of these beacons, choirs and local communities are being encouraged to join the celebrations and sing the Song for the Commonwealth—which was specially written just for this occasion.

The Military Wives Choirs is excited and proud to be taking part in singing the Song for the Commonwealth to mark the Queen’s momentous 70 years of service to her country and the Commonwealth, set to take place at 9:45pm on 2nd June 2022.

With our network of over 70 choirs, we hope that as many of our members as possible will join us to mark such a moment in history, which is set to be truly memorable, in honour of the longest-serving monarch our country has ever had.

Find out more here.

Military Wives Choirs is 10!

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 10:33:37 GMT

Military Wives Choirs is 10! We are so proud to be celebrating 10 years since the official formation of the charity. We’ve come a long way and through it all we have used the power of singing to bring women in the military community closer together. And we’ve only just begun…

Our network has been the subject of a feature film, released records, commemoration of military history such as the WW1 centenary and more. Thank you to all the members who have helped the charity reach this milestone. It’s amazing to think that our performances, our rehearsals and our laughter and song has contributed to this success.

Do you want to join us for the celebrations? There are no auditions and no pressure to perform. We are a welcoming group of women who simply want to sing and use our shared experience of military life to look out for each other.

We didn’t expect to approach this milestone with a lockdown and virtual rehearsals! But 2020 didn’t stop us. In fact we’ve grown as a network in the face of adversity. Now it’s time to get back to the rehearsal rooms. Get back on stage. Get back to supporting each other through our unique shared experiences.

There’s never been a better time to join a choir.

Come and join the celebrations!

#SingShareSupport

#MWCis10

Military Wives Choirs to receive £92,057 from third round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 09:38:23 GMT

Photo credit: M Gonzalez-Noda

More than £100 million has been awarded to hundreds of cultural organisations across the country including the Military Wives Choirs, in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced today. The third round of funding will support organisations from all corners of the sector as they deal with ongoing reopening challenges, ensuring they can thrive in better times ahead.

The Military Wives Choirs is a community of nearly 2,000 women in 72 choirs across the UK and internationally that come together to celebrate a love of singing and a communal understanding that comes from our members’ shared experiences of the Armed Forces.

Despite a challenging 18 months where our in-person activity was interrupted, and choirs were unable to perform, we are now looking ahead to a bright future and this award from the Culture Recovery Fund will help to secure and stabilise our activity. 2022 promises to be a very exciting year for us, as we look to celebrate our 10 ^th anniversary as a charity. The funds will be used to offer our network a series of performance opportunities at regional concerts across the UK, provide training for our network of 71 Musical Directors and direct welfare support to our choirs, and launch a recruitment campaign to encourage even more growth amongst the community we serve.

Culture Secretary, Nadine Dorries, said:

“Culture is for everyone and should therefore be accessible to everyone, no matter who they are and where they’re from. Through unprecedented government financial support, the Culture Recovery Fund is supporting arts and cultural organisations so they can continue to bring culture to communities the length and breadth of the country, supporting jobs, boosting local economies and inspiring people.”

Over £1.2 billion has already been awarded from the Culture Recovery Fund, supporting around 5,000 individual organisations and sites across the country ranging from local museums to West End theatres, grassroots music venues to festivals, and organisations in the cultural and heritage supply-chains.

Laura Wright, Ambassador for the Military Wives Choirs, said:

" I am thrilled to hear the Military Wives Choirs have been awarded a second Arts Council grant from the Culture Recovery Fund. This organisation is so close to my heart and truly deserves this recognition, the funds will help to continue their vital work in bringing women with military connections together through music and will also assist the celebrations planned in 2022 to mark their 10th anniversary. Wonderful news!"

As both an independent charity and a subsidiary of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, the Military Wives Choirs work collaboratively with SSAFA in their mission to provide support to our Forces and their families.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said:

“This continued investment from the Government on an unprecedented scale means our theatres, galleries, music venues, museums and arts centres can carry on playing their part in bringing visitors back to our high streets, helping to drive economic growth, boosting community pride and promoting good health. It’s a massive vote of confidence in the role our cultural organisations play in helping us all to lead happier lives”.

Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. Setting a strategic vision in  Let’s Create  that by 2030 will help England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision.  www.artscouncil.org.uk . 

Following the Covid-19 crisis, the Arts Council developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package, with nearly 90% coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. We are also one of the bodies administering the Government’s unprecedented Culture Recovery Funds. Find out more at  www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19 . 

Laura Wright joins the Military Wives Choirs as our first female Ambassador

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 07:48:07 GMT

Today, Laura Wright, the well-known and much-loved British mezzo-soprano joins the Military Wives Choirs family as our newest Ambassador. Laura is no stranger to the Military Wives Choirs having collaborated with us during the development of our album 'Remember' in 2018. She wrote and performed one of the album tracks, 'Brave' and has supported us ever since. Laura’s long standing passion for singing is demonstrated by her winning the 2005 BBC Young Chorister of the Year at just 15 years of age. Since then, she has gone on to write and record numerous albums and perform at many high-profile events, including Her Majesty’s 90th birthday and the annual Invictus Games Opening Ceremony, for which she wrote and performed 'Invincible'.

Commenting on the appointment, Sir Andrew Gregory, Controller of SSAFA, The Armed Forces charity, said:

“This is superb news for the Military Wives Choirs, the women who sing in them, and the whole Forces’ community.

“Laura is not only a great soprano, but also a talented composer and has demonstrated her exceptional ability to capture the mood of audiences at major sporting and charity events.

“These talents and strengths will help her excel in her role as Ambassador, while bringing her, and the outstanding work of the Military Wives Choirs to new audiences.”

The SSAFA family includes the Military Wives Choirs, both an independent charity and a subsidiary of SSAFA, which supports women across the military community.

Richard Stringfellow, Musical Director of Windsor Military Wives Choir, said “The Military Wives Choirs’ mission has always been to bring women of the military community together to sing, share, and support one another—which seems ever more important amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic. We feel very fortunate to have Laura join us at this crucial time, and we’re very excited about what the future holds for us.”

We are all grateful and thrilled to have Laura onboard as our first female Ambassador, to continue our mission of offering support , trust and mutual understanding, as well as creating uplifting experiences and musical memories to be proud of. If you would like to learn more about Laura Wright and her new role as an Ambassador for the Military Wives Choirs, click here.

COVID guidance hits wrong note for singers - press release

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Fri, 21 May 2021 16:02:48 GMT

Our Artistic Director Hilary Davan Wetton represents the Military Wives Choirs in lending his support to the below, which has been sent by our friends at Making Music, ISM, ABO and abcd.

Musicians object to guidance on indoor singing that is more restrictive than before the last national lockdown.

A number of leading music organisations have written to the Government objecting to updated guidance that allows only 6 people to sing together indoors. This is because indoor singing activity should be treated the same as other non-professional music activity and indoor organised sports activity, as was the case between August and December 2020. This campaign has been supported by The Incorporated Society of Musicians, Making Music, the Association of British Choral Directors, the Association of British Orchestras and the member organisations of Singing Network UK.

While the public health situation remains a concerning one, research shows that singing is no more dangerous in terms of COVID-19 transmission than shouting, speaking loudly or physical exercise. It appears that choirs are being treated as simply a social pastime, rather than an organised activity overseen by a recognised body (usually a charity or business) which is able to put effective safety protocols in place.

Unless this situation is addressed, there will be a significant negative impact on the wellbeing of over 2 million participants in singing groups across the country and will also have a financial impact, as ticket sales have to be reimbursed for upcoming performances. In addition, many of the UK’s 40,000 choirs are led by professionals who remain dependent on Government support until they can restart their professional life.

Making Music Chief Executive Barbara Eifler said:

‘2.2 million singers and 40,000 choirs across the UK have been preparing to return to rehearsals this week, writing extensive risk assessments, putting a host of mitigations in place and buying singing facemasks in vast quantities, only to find themselves stopped in their tracks a day after Step 3 had happened, and without warning. The government’s own research concluded last year that singing is no more dangerous than shouting. We urge the government to bring singing in terms of guidance in line with other organised activity by recognised bodies, such as non-professional music activity and indoor sports.’

ISM Chief Executive Deborah Annetts said:

‘It is clearly a mistake from the Government to make the guidance on indoor singing more restrictive than before the last national lockdown. While research shows that choirs offer many benefits for mental and physical well-being, it is not simply a casual social pastime. The Government should recognise that it is an organised activity overseen by an official body that is able to implement effective safety protocols and led by professionals that want to return to work. Public health guidance should be helping the safe return of millions of singers and thousands of choirs across the country, rather than forcing the cancellation of upcoming performances.’

Association of British Orchestras Director Mark Pemberton said:

‘The furore over these unexpected restrictions on singing is not confined to the amateur sector alone. The UK’s world-leading professional orchestras rely on amateur choruses, and as a result of these restrictions, concerts that have already been on the market, and sold out, will need to be cancelled and re-programmed. It makes no sense for ‘non-professionals’ to be treated differently to ‘professionals’ when taking part in a performance run by a professional organisation working to Covid secure protocols. If the Government’s own research shows that singing is safe, why change the rules now?’

About the ISM

The Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) is the UK's professional body for musicians and a nationally-recognised subject association for music. Since 1882, we have been dedicated to promoting the importance of music and protecting the rights of those working in the music profession.

We support nearly 11,000 music professionals across the UK and Ireland with our unrivalled legal advice and representation, comprehensive insurance and specialist services. Our members come from all areas of the music profession and from a wide variety of genres and musical backgrounds.

We campaign tirelessly in support of musicians’ rights, music education and the profession as a whole. We are a financially independent not-for-profit organisation with no political affiliation. This independence allows us the freedom to campaign on any issue affecting musicians.

For more information, please contact bruce.rothberg@ism.org

About Making Music

Making Music has championed leisure-time music groups since 1935 across the UK with practical services, artistic development opportunities and by providing a collective voice for its members. We represent over 3,500 groups made up of around 190,000 musicians of all types, genres and abilities. We help them run their groups so they can get on with making music: www.makingmusic.org.uk

About the Association of British Orchestras

The ABO is the national body representing the collective interests of professional orchestras, youth ensembles and the wider classical music industry throughout the UK. The ABO's mission is to enable and support an innovative, collaborative and sustainable orchestral sector by providing advice, support, intelligence and information to the people who make British orchestras a global success.

www.abo.org.uk

@aborchestras

abcd is the only UK organisation devoted entirely to supporting those leading choral music, amateur and professional. It is committed to promoting opportunities for the professional development of everyone leading singing, in the classroom or the community, and runs an extensive programme of courses, as well as providing advice and support for all choral leaders.

His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 14:53:07 GMT

“The Military Wives Choirs is very saddened to hear of the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. As a Second World War veteran, he was a dedicated supporter of our Armed Forces, as well as a keen patron of the Arts. Our thoughts are with Her Majesty the Queen and all the Royal Family. On behalf of all the Military Wives Choirs members, their families, and military communities I send our heartfelt condolences.” Maggie Pedder, Chair of Trustees

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust grant award

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 16:48:39 GMT

We are delighted to have received a grant from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust. We have been awarded £70,000 to use over two years as part of their Tackling Loneliness Programme. This grant will support a Research and Recruitment project which will provide the opportunity for us to ensure that women from across the breadth of the military community, including harder-to-reach groups, are able to access the wellbeing our choirs provide and come together to sing, share and support one another.

We are very much looking forward to seeing how the project progresses and thank the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for their continued support.

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity: Voices of the Military Wives Choirs: 10th Anniversary Special Podcast

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 13:44:12 GMT

The Military Wives Choirs is delighted to be collaborating with ABF The Soldiers' Charity on their ‘Voices of’ podcast series. The latest episode is all about the story of the Military Wives Choirs as they approach their 10-year anniversary as a charity, focusing on the healing power of singing, from the Afghanistan conflict to coping with the Covid pandemic. Members of the Military Wives Choirs are joined by members of The Military WAGS Choir, Catterick Garrison, Chivenor Military Ladies Choir and the Military Wives Choirs' Artistic Director Hilary Davan Wetton to discuss the choirs' ten-year history. You can listen/download here http://bit.ly/3t8wwBT

Maggie Pedder, Chair of Trustees of the Military Wives Choirs and a choir member, says:

“Choir is a really important evening in my busy week, where I can set aside some time just for me and really feel part of a community. The pandemic has been a challenging time, but we have continued to feel stronger together. When singing together in person has not been possible, we meet virtually for music-making, quizzes and a huge amount of fun and laughter! The Military Wives Choirs always welcomes new members; we bring women from across the military community together to sing, share, and support one another.”

Happy International Women's Day

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 17:05:28 GMT

This International Women's Day, we #ChooseToChallenge

At the Military Wives Choirs we joined this year's campaign to #ChooseToChallenge. We choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements and help to create an inclusive world.

We rallied members of our network to raise their hands and show we are in! To see all the images from choir members in our network see Facebook here.

Join Us - membership recruitment campaign

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:31:29 GMT

We’ve launched a special ‘Join Us’ campaign to recruit new Military Wives Choirs members! Given the challenging times we find ourselves in, and the reduced number of performances in local and military and civilian communities in 2020 which usually increase choir membership, we are excited to launch this targeted campaign in partnership with PR agency WildKat. Watch out for our sponsored posts on social media, where you'll see a mixture of myth-busting videos (like the example above) telling you more about the Military Wives Choirs, and some real-life stories from our own choir members.

We may not be able to meet right now, but the community is still as active as ever with virtual music-making. The choirs are open to women from across the military community, not just wives, so please do spread the word amongst those you know. If you’re interested in finding out more, please do click here to share a few details and we will be in touch.

Military Wives Choirs Christmas performances from their homes

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 17:25:44 GMT

Merry Christmas from all of us!

Please enjoy these special performances of 'Let it Snow', 'Deck the Hall' and 'O Little Town of Bethlehem', performed and recorded by members of the Military Wives Choirs from their homes to celebrate Christmas.

Thank you to all who have supported us this year, we are extremely grateful in what has been a very different and difficult year.

The Military Wives Choirs office is now closed until the 4th of January 2021, we look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

Purchase your Military Wives Choirs Christmas Cards

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 10:30:17 GMT

This festive season, we’re delighted to be partnering again with Cards for Good Causes, to sell our own range of Christmas cards . Our cards come in a range of designs and are made sustainably from FSC approved sources.

Cards for Good Causes is the UK’s largest multi-charity Christmas card organisation, supporting over 250 charities across the UK. You can order from the Military Wives Choirs range online , or find your nearest Cards for Good Causes pop-up shop here .

By purchasing your charity Christmas cards from the Military Wives Choirs range, you are supporting us to help women in the military community to sing, share and support one another and feel stronger together through singing.

Sky News television coverage of the Journey of the Unknown Warrior Collaboration

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 15:01:14 GMT

Channel 5 television coverage of the Journey of the Unknown Warrior Collaboration

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 12:23:28 GMT

ITV News television coverage of the Journey of the Unknown Warrior Collaboration

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 12:13:46 GMT

BBC London television coverage of the Journey of the Unknown Warrior Collaboration

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 12:03:01 GMT

Regional radio coverage of the Journey of the Unknown Warrior Collaboration

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 11:25:22 GMT

You’ll have read in our previous post about our exciting collaboration with Westminster City Council to commemorate one of the most poignant centenaries of the First World War: the burial of the Unknown Warrior.

Our choir members have been busy being interviewed across the country for regional radio stations, those that you can listen to again include:

Jacky and Gigi from South London Military Wives Choir (MWC) talking to Chris Watts from Meridian FM, listen back on Facebook here.

Carol from York MWC on BBC Radio York, listen again here at 3:40:15.

Issy from Arborfield MWC on BBC Radio Surrey & Sussex and BBC Radio Berkshire, listen again here for BBC Radio Surrey & Sussex at 2:13:56 and listen again here for BBC Radio Berkshire at 35:35.

Lynette from Taunton MWC on BBC Radio Somerset, listen again here at 1:16:20.

Alison from Waddington MWC on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, listen again here at 2:23:00.

Annabel from Innsworth MWC on BBC Radio Gloucestershire, listen again here at 48:45.

Mandy from Honington MWC on BBC Radio Suffolk, listen again here at 2:41:04.

Maggie from Bristol MWC on BBC Radio Bristol, listen again here at 1:22:30.

National radio coverage of the Journey of the Unknown Warrior Collaboration

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 10:22:30 GMT

We are thrilled this collaboration has attracted the interest of national radio including Good Morning Sunday on BBC Radio 2 with Reverend Kate Bottley and Jason Mohammad. Listen again here at 1:28:55 as choir member Carrie, from Culdrose Military Wives Choir, talks about the reimagining of the track 'Abide with Me'. Serving in the Armed Forces herself and as a granddaughter and daughter of military personnel, Carrie gets across the breadth of our network and that choir members are from all military backgrounds but come together in a united sisterhood.

Michael Fanstone from Premier Christian Radio also spoke with a choir member, Ruth from Halton Military Wives Choir, on Inspirational Breakfast who talks about the unique way we recorded 'Abide with Me' with individual recording booths and a video of our Artistic Director Hilary Davan Wetton conducting. Ruth also impresses how much choir is a part of her life and the advantage of our shared repertoire! Listen again here.

We were also fortunate enough to be invited to join an Instagram live with BFBS and Amy Casey where our trustee Richard discussed all things Military Wives Choirs from the newly released single 'Abide with Me', to the beginnings of our network and the film 'Military Wives'. Listen again on our Instagram here .

Military Wives Choirs and Westminster City Council join forces to commemorate the 100 year Journey of the Unknown Warrior

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 09:49:39 GMT

This is the 100 year journey of the Unknown Warrior - 1920 to 2020

We are proud to announce this special collaboration between the Military Wives Choirs and Westminster City Council to commemorate one of the most poignant centenaries of the First World War: the burial of the Unknown Warrior.

Members of the Military Wives Choirs from across the country have re-recorded a hymn sung at the funeral itself in 1920. ‘Abide with Me’ was one of two tracks to survive experimental recording at the original ceremony to become the first electrical recording ever sold to the public.

The project, which was produced during a period of present-world uncertainty, was conducted by Hilary Davan Wetton, one of Britain's most distinguished and dynamic conductors, and produced by Sean Hargreaves. 70 members of the Choirs travelled from across the UK to record each vocal part individually due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Of over one million British and Commonwealth servicemen and women killed in World War I, some 165,000 would never receive a proper burial. Many were left in unmarked graves on the battlefields where they fell. Some were simply never found, leaving family members with nowhere to mourn their loved ones.

In 1920, one unidentified fallen serviceman was chosen at random and returned from the fields of France to represent all those who had died in the war. And, on 11th November 1920, this unknown warrior was given a full state burial – his procession moving through packed London streets, before being laid to rest amongst Kings and Queens in Westminster Abbey. The ceremony also included the unveiling of the Cenotaph by King George V. This national outpouring of grief followed a period of incredible suffering – and remains a moving demonstration of togetherness in the face of adversity. Exactly 100 years on from the burial of the Unknown Warrior we have created a new version of ‘Abide with Me’ – a hymn sung at the ceremony in 1920.

Conceived before the impact of Covid-19 had hit, and then created and recorded during lockdown, the production of the track became a journey in itself – showing the power of music to bring people together during difficult times. This journey can be seen in the documentary.

Listen and buy the track here.

Watch the music video here.

Watch the documentary here.

Find out how Taunton Military Wives Choir are raising money through online shopping with easyfundraising

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 17:57:02 GMT

Fundraising this year has been hard. And as it looks like local lockdowns and restrictions will be with us for some time, we know many choirs are wondering how they can keep funds coming in through the winter and into 2021. That was our reason for partnering with easyfundraising this year, to give our choirs an alternative way of funding themselves, through shopping online.

When choir members and supporters use the easyfundraising website or app to shop online with over 4000 leading retailers including Amazon, eBay, John Lewis, M&S, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s & Argos, the retailer they shop with sends their choir a free donation at no extra cost.

Taunton Military Wives Choir started using easyfundraising in August and have already raised almost £50. Here’s their story:

How has the coronavirus crisis affected your funds?

For the first time ever, we had been fully booked for 2020 by the end of January. This would have ensured a steady income from events throughout the year. Our bread and butter is performing at small local churches - the average age of our audience is 70+ so this cohort may never return and our income could be affected for several years. We are also unable to access our free rehearsal space so are having to pay rent to use a local hall and our volunteer accompanist stepped down due to self-isolating so we are now paying for that role.

What made you register to raise money with easyfundraising ?

We saw something about easyfundraising on the Military Wives Choirs Facebook page.

What do you think of easyfundraising as a way for choirs to raise money?

It’s a fantastic way to fundraise as it requires minimal effort on our part. It’s worth joining as even if you only have a few members signed up, their regular online shopping habit will raise significant amounts! Would definitely recommend!

How do you get members involved and raising free funds when they shop?

We advertise easyfundraising via our choir WhatsApp support group which we set up at the beginning of lockdown.

What will you do with the funds you raise through online via easyfundraising ?

We will be using the income towards our general running costs which have increased considerably during lockdown.

To benefit from free donations when your choir members shop online, register your choir as a good cause with easyfundraising – it’s free to register and use so you really have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Call for arrangers - Sing, Share, Support 2020

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 11:56:47 GMT

We are looking for arrangers

Our choirs share a core repertoire, which facilitates members moving between choirs. This year, we have the opportunity to add new arrangements to this repertoire, which consists of some original music, and a set of tailored resources of arrangements of well-loved songs of all kinds, specially arranged for the Military Wives Choirs. We welcome expressions of interest from arrangers with suitable experience, including in arranging for non-professional and female voice choirs.

To apply to fulfil this opportunity, please send your CV along with a previous example of your work and a quote for the costs involved (per song) to Julia Hudson, Music and Performance Manager via commission@militarywiveschoirs.org. There will then be a shortlisting and selection process undertaken by our Music panel.

Read the full briefing document here.

The closing date for applications is Wednesday, 28th October 2020 at 9am.

The Government’s Culture Recovery Fund sees the Military Wives Choirs receive a grant

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 23:07:12 GMT

“I am delighted that the unique and far-reaching contribution that choral singing makes to the lives of our military families has been recognised by the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. It will enable the Military Wives Choirs to maintain their ambition through the many obstacles of the current situation; in these grim times this award shines out like a beacon in a dark night.” Hilary Davan Wetton, Artistic Director, Military Wives Choirs

The Government’s Culture Recovery Fund grant administered by Arts Council England has seen the Military Wives Choirs, amongst other organisations, receive a grant which has enabled us to continue to bring our network together during these unprecedented times in the COVID-19 pandemic. This grant is a lifeline and will see more than 2,000 members supported in 73 choirs in British military bases across the UK and overseas. The Military Wives Choirs is a charity that brings all women in the military community, not just wives, closer together and empowers them through singing.

“We are incredibly grateful to have been awarded part of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. This much-needed support enables the Military Wives Choirs to continue in our mission of increasing wellbeing through singing, to our inclusive network of over 2,000 women across the military community and audiences across the country and abroad. We are thrilled that this funding enables our 73 choirs to sing, share and support one another and feel stronger together through music.” Melanie Nightingale, Director, Military Wives Choirs

For the full press release, click here

Thank you for supporting our virtual activity Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

EPullen@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 16:26:36 GMT

The video above features our choir members thanking the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for their generous grant funding and expressing how much our choirs mean to them!

The grant funding that we have received has enabled us to continue to bring our network together, albeit virtually, during these unprecedented times in the COVID-19 pandemic. The following blog post on the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport blog highlights how grateful we are to them for their #CommunitiesCan support!

Read the full article here.

Military Wives Choirs charity illustration for sale

support@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 16:08:40 GMT

Elizabeth Watson Illustrations has partnered with the Military Wives Choirs to create an exclusive illustration to mark the invaluable support the Military Wives Choirs has given to so many during lockdown. It commemorates a time in our lives where we truly have been stronger together and embodied our ethos of sing, share, support. Elizabeth is a member of Yeovilton Military Wives Choir and she loves singing every Wednesday. She sat in her studio for the virtual rehearsals with her pens and inks on hand and in the quiet moments she had fun sketching the smiling faces in the little squares on her screen. Working with the Military Wives Choirs she has kindly illustrated our very own piece with £10 of each sale going directly to the charity. Buy your exclusive print here: https://www.elizabethwatsonillustration.com/printshop/the-virtual-choir

We are working with Easyfundraising

support@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 09:39:22 GMT

We have started working with easyfundraising; it’s a great site where you can help the Military Wives Choirs raise funds simply by doing your everyday online shopping! Over 4,000 big name retailers are included, such as John Lewis, eBay, Waitrose, Argos, Boden, M&S, Trainline and JustEat.

Simply sign up to easyfundraising and click from the site to visit the retailer you want to shop with and then shop as normal. When you buy something, the retailer sends your chosen choir a free donation at no extra cost.

It’s free to register and use and it won’t cost any extra to shop this way. We are all shopping online much more at the moment so you may as well turn that shopping into free donations!

Every time you shop, we receive a small donation to say ‘thank you'! It’s completely free and over £31M has been raised for causes just like us so far.

We want to raise as much as possible so please sign up and help us at: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/mwcf/…

Our Artistic Director, Hilary Davan Wetton, writes to The Times

jhudson@militarywiveschoirs.org (Julia Hudson) — Sat, 18 Jul 2020 11:12:59 GMT

Choirs, and places where they sing

Dear Sir

My early delight at the Arts Funding package the Government announced last week is sadly abating at speed. The absence of authoritative guidance on what music making is possible for amateur choirs in churches or elsewhere is causing enormous unhappiness and frustration to all the singers with whom I am in touch. The role of singing in maintaining and enhancing wellbeing, physical, mental and emotional, is fully documented. The period of isolation has been very difficult for choral singers. For many of them, this is much more than an entertaining hobby; it is a central part of their enjoyment of life.

This is nowhere more apparent than with the Military Wives Choirs, to my knowledge the largest network of choral singers in the country with 2,300 members in 75 choirs. Our mission is to bring women in the military community together through singing; the current restrictions - with no clear timeframe for abatement - is very debilitating for our members. Much ingenuity has been devoted to ‘virtual’ rehearsal, but anyone who believes this is a genuine alternative to live music making has not sung in a choir. This time has been tough in isolation; mental health and a sense of togetherness and community are exactly what singing in choirs is scientifically proven to provide.

The success of the heart warming Military Wives film clearly demonstrates the power of choral music to change people’s lives. Even if choral performance does carry some potential risk, we urgently need more research and guidance into how we can assemble choirs again and feel ‘stronger together’. At the moment, there is a mass of anecdotal scaremongering, but not much hard science. The Government’s welcome financial support is not enough; we need extensive and definitive research, as well as ingenious mitigations to enable singers to sing together again.

Yours faithfully

Hilary Davan Wetton

(Hon. D.Mus., MA, FRBC, ARCM)

Principal Conductor City of London Choir

Associate Conductor London Mozart Players

Artistic Director Military Wives Choirs

Musical Director Jersey Symphony Orchestra

A version of this letter appeared in The Times Letters to the Editor, 18th July 2020

'Military Wives' out now on DVD, Blu-ray and digital download

support@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 11:47:59 GMT

The feel good film of the year, 'Military Wives' is available now on digital download, DVD and Blu-ray. Starring BAFTA®-Winner Kristin Scott Thomas (Darkest Hour) and BAFTA® Nominee Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe) and directed by Oscar® Nominee Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty), 'Military Wives' will have you singing and perhaps crying along! Be sure to watch until the end as there is a special Military Wives Choirs appearance in the closing scenes!

It is available to buy in Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury's, HMW, Argos, WHSmith, Matalan, Dunnes, One Stop, Co-op, Boots and Amazon (subject to availability). Follow this link to purchase on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3f5lAyi .

The digital download is available from the Sky Store, Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Virgin, BT TV, Microsoft, Chili, Curzon Home Cinema and TalkTalk: https://militarywives.lnk.to/Movie

Don't miss your chance to own it now!

Celebrating our keyworker choir members

support@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 10:26:52 GMT

During lockdown as a network we have been acknowledging the amazing work of our keyworker choir members. Many of our network have been working on the frontline in the battle against Covid-19 as doctors, nurses, NHS staff, care workers, supermarket workers, teachers and military personnel. Choir member Kate (Taunton MWC) observed this role reversal for some, with wives and girlfriends out on the frontline whilst many husbands and partners are juggling life at home.

You’ll have seen the stories we’ve shared on social media, from Angeline (Warminster MWC) who works at Morrisons helping keep the community fed whilst getting groceries for vulnerable neighbours, to Sara (Marham MWC) who worked as a Staff Nurse for 35 years in the NHS and came back from retirement to help in the crisis, and Jackie (Taunton MWC) who has found the time when not working as a ward receptionist in a busy hospital to knit pairs of hearts for Covid-19 patients and their next of kin.

We were even featured in the Daily Mirror where Debs (Benson MWC) shared her story of working as a 999 and 101 call handler in these times. Her job has been particularly harrowing during the Covid-19 crisis and she believes she wouldn’t have been able to do it if it wasn’t for her choir. We are extremely proud of the support our network brings in these difficult times.

Declutter and Donate

support@militarywiveschoirs.org (Eleanor Pullen) — Fri, 01 May 2020 11:38:36 GMT

This Giving Tuesday you can declutter and donate to raise money for Military Wives Choirs through Virgin Money Giving and Ziffit’s virtual charity shop! On Tuesday 5th May get rid of all unwanted books, CDs, DVDs and games at no cost to you from the safety and comfort of your home and 100% of the trade value will come directly to the network! If you are a tax payer, we will be able to claim Gift Aid on your donation as well.

Follow this link https://bit.ly/2xpQGAm , scan in your items, arrange collection and we will report back on how much the network has been able to raise!

If you want to download the Ziffit app or already have it, then just choose us as your charity of choice at the checkout.

Looking for motivation to start your Spring clean? You’ve found it! Please don’t miss this opportunity to invite your friends and family too!

Every donation no matter how small counts! Thank you!

Announcing ‘Together’, our original song, embracing internet latency in world first!

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 10:01:39 GMT

Our choir members around the world are reversing roles with their husbands and partners and joining the frontline in the battle against Covid-19. “Over half of our choir are frontline workers at our nearby Hospital and we also have two teachers” said one choir member, Kate, whilst adding “One of our members is working a long day on the Coronavirus Isolation Ward today - our thoughts are with her. In a strange way, this is a bit of role reversal. For once, the wives and girlfriends are out on the frontline whilst many husbands and partners are juggling life at home.” Our 75 Military Wives Choirs from the UK to Naples and the Falkland Islands are continuing their music-making through weekly virtual rehearsals, all whilst maintaining key worker roles.

To enable our choirs to truly sing together, we are innovating with the creation of an original song titled ‘Together’, written for us by our Artistic Director, Hilary Davan Wetton, also a renowned conductor.

Our Chair of Trustees, Maggie Pedder, said that “Our choirs have started using video conferencing software such as Zoom to host our regular weekly rehearsals. What we were finding was that the sound delay meant we had to mute everyone, which stopped us from hearing each other’s voices and feeling that sense of community which comes from singing together. We wondered if there was a way to embrace the latency rather than fight it, and that’s where Hilary Davan Wetton came in”.

Hilary Davan Wetton has composed the song ‘Together’ in an exciting world first, using classical compositional techniques and lyrics from choir members to create a song which accommodates the internet delay. The piece employs interlocking note patterns where exact pulse is replaced by a generalised forward movement. As our choir member Giselle said, “Even though we can’t all be together, we have never felt more stronger, together".

We’re thrilled to announce that the sheet music for ‘Together’ by Hilary Davan Wetton is available to purchase to perform with your choirs! Find out more information here https://www.militarywiveschoirs.org/buy-the-sheet-music-for-military-wives-choirs-together-by-hilary-davan-wetton .

Buy the sheet music for Military Wives Choirs ‘Together’ by Hilary Davan Wetton

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 09:52:22 GMT

We are delighted to give you the opportunity to purchase ‘Together’, written by conductor Hilary Davan Wetton for the Military Wives Choirs as part of our virtual music-making. The song represents an exciting world first, using classical compositional techniques and lyrics from choir members to create a song which accommodates the internet delay. The piece employs interlocking note patterns where exact pulse is replaced by a generalised forward movement.

Please email sales@militarywiveschoirs.org , stating the amount of copies you need to print (£2.40 per copy). You will then be emailed to make the payment, and upon receipt of the payment you will be sent your personalised pdf and a license to print or share that amount. Please allow up to 4 working days for this to be emailed to you.

A sample page is viewable above; the song is written for SSA with an additional optional descant in the final four bars. It is approximately three minutes in length.

All profits go to the Military Wives Choirs, a registered charity in England & Wales (1148302) & Scotland (SC045217).

Military Wives Choirs Concert Series – rescheduled

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 09:40:48 GMT

We’re excited to announce our Concert Series will now be taking place in Spring 2021. Due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19 and restrictions in place across the country a decision has been taken to postpone our Autumn Concert Series. We will be performing in cities up and down the country, including Birmingham, York, Nottingham, London, Inverness, Ipswich, Bournemouth, Edinburgh and now Bristol! Each concert location will feature its local choirs and bring choir regions together in a celebration of our ethos: sing, share and support. The concert series will feature new and well-loved music from both the film ‘Military Wives’ and the album ‘Remember’.

For all existing ticket holders your ticket will remain valid, the seat number chosen will remain the same and your ticket will automatically revert over to the new date. For anyone wanting to purchase a ticket for the new dates they are on sale via https://myticket.co.uk/artists/military-wives-choirs.

We thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this difficult time for us all. Please stay safe and we look forward to welcoming you all to our concerts in much happier times.

‘Military Wives’ official soundtrack – out now!

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 11:27:00 GMT

Launched on 6th March alongside ‘Military Wives’ the film, we’re excited to announce we’ve featured on a new album with Decca Records; the film’s Official Soundtrack!

The soundtrack features new tracks by the on-screen cast with the real-life Military Wives Choirs, celebrating the shared experiences of the women whose lives were changed forever by conflict. Also featured are songs which illustrate the Military Wives Choirs’ musical lifetime to date, including the well-known ‘Wherever You Are’ from the charity’s early days through to the most recent single ‘Brave’, featuring Laura Wright.

Robbie Williams and longtime collaborator Guy Chambers have written a brand new track for the official soundtrack release, ‘Home Thoughts From Abroad’. Speaking about the song, Robbie and Guy said: “It’s always a joy to work together on new music, and we’re thrilled that our new song will be featured in this special film. We’re really proud of the track and can’t wait for you all to hear it.”

The ‘Military Wives’ Official Soundtrack is released on Decca Records and is out now and available to listen and purchase here.

Track list

Home Thoughts from Abroad – Military Wives Choirs & Cast
Only You – Cast
Only You – Military Wives Choirs
Ave Maria – Cast
Time After Time – Military Wives Choirs & Cast
Shout – Military Wives Choirs
We are Family – Military Wives Choirs & Cast
Stronger Together – Military Wives Choirs
With Or Without You – Military Wives Choirs
Brave – Military Wives Choirs with Laura Wright and The Royal Marines Corps of Drums
Make You Feel My Love – Military Wives Choirs
In My Dreams – Military Wives Choirs
You’ve Got a Friend – Military Wives Choirs
Wherever You Are* – Military Wives Choirs
Sing* – Military Wives Choirs
*Bonus tracks

‘Military Wives’ film – out now!

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 11:03:00 GMT

We’re thrilled to announce that ‘Military Wives’ is out now!

Now with over 70 choirs across the UK and overseas, the Military Wives Choirs is a charity that brings women in the military community together through singing. We’re delighted that this film, inspired by the real story of the Military Wives Choirs, brings our story to new audiences.

See ‘Military Wives’ in cinemas now! Starring BAFTA®-Winner Kristin Scott Thomas (Darkest Hour) and BAFTA® Nominee Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe) and directed by Oscar® Nominee Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty), produced by 42 and distributed by Lionsgate.

For more information on the film, visit www.militarywivesfilm.co.uk .

‘Military Wives’ Film Trailer

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 09:34:10 GMT

The inspirational story of friendship, love, and support on the home front. A group of women come together as their partners serve in Afghanistan. Together they form the very first military wives choir, helping each other through some of life’s most difficult moments and also becoming a media sensation and global movement in the process. Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty) directs Oscar® Nominee and BAFTA® Winner Kristin Scott Thomas (Darkest Hour) and BAFTA® Nominee Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe) in this feel good crowd-pleaser.

MILITARY WIVES stars Kristin Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan, Greg Wise (A Private War) and Jason Flemyng (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels). Rounding out the cast and playing the military wives are Emma Lowndes (Downton Abbey), Gaby French (Victoria), Lara Rossi (Robin Hood), Amy James-Kelly (Safe) and India Ria Amarteifio (Line of Duty).

View the full trailer HERE

Directed by Peter Cattaneo

Starring Kristin Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan, Greg Wise, Jason Flemyng with Emma Lowndes, Gaby French, Lara Rossi, Amy James-Kelly and India Ria Amarteifio

Produced by 42 , Distributed by Lionsgate

Cadogan Hall ‘Remember’ Concert

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 09:01:01 GMT

The Military Wives Choirs recently performed their concert ‘Remember’ – Live at Cadogan, which featured ten choirs from the MWC network (listed below) on 6th October. They performed beautifully, alongside members of our brilliant musical family including the choirs’ own MDs, Hilary Davan Wetton, Sean Hargreaves, Alexander L’Estrange, Adam Langston and of course Laura Wright.

Arborfield

Benson

Brompton & Invicta

Chicksands

Henlow

Halton

Odiham

Sandhurst

Shorncliffe

South London

Joined by eight talented live instrumentalists including a trumpeter from the Band of the Scots Guards, the evening was a moving commemoration to those that have served for our country, and still serve today. The spoken accounts from our very own ladies blew Cadogan Hall to silence. A life connected to the military is a challenge in more ways than one…

“…it goes without saying, that obviously, literally everything breaks, leaks, and generally goes wrong as soon as our military partners go away!” – Dionne

Every member of the audience was completely in awe of the Military Wives Choirs and the support that comes from being part of such a unique and beautiful charity. The standing ovation that followed chorused throughout, back to the stage where every performer stood proudly alongside their sisters. It was a night to remember.

Director of the National Army Museum, Justin Maciejewski, and guest of our Chair of Trustees, Maggie Pedder, gave his account on the evening;

“The concert was really fantastic and very moving indeed. It brought back to me so many memories of what we all went through together as families, the strength of the military community and also the sheer talent of that community. It made me really proud and also very grateful for all those people up and down the country and abroad who get involved to create music of such beauty and purpose.”

This is the first of what we hope to be the start of many events of this scale, to help spread awareness of those whose lives are directly affected by the uncertainties of military life and the fears that can become a part of it. The Military Wives Choirs have provided women within, and connected to, the military with a family of close friendships forged through singing. With choirs across our the UK and overseas, and which continues to grow, the Military Wives Choirs has become a network sought after by women worldwide. The charity has managed to connect some 2300+ women.

The Military Wives Choirs is the most striking example of a fundamental truth: that singing in a choir changes lives. Nothing is more powerful than the collective strength and passion when they come together to convey something which they live through every day. This concert is absolutely not to be missed.”

– Artistic Director Hilary Davan Wetton

But in such a conflicted world, there are more than 2300 women who have not reached us. The Military Wives Choirs need your support to make sure that no voice is left unheard.

As a household name that is still growing, the best way to support our choirs is through the magic of music. You can purchase our album on Amazon HERE and all profits go to the Military Wives Choirs registered charity.

Learn more about how you can support us and donate here .

Choir update

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:13:00 GMT

With 75 choirs in British military bases across the UK and abroad, the Military Wives Choirs charity exists to bring women in the military community closer together through singing. Our network of choirs has a shared ethos, whilst celebrating choirs’ own local identities within their communities.

After a rich shared history, Military Wives Choir Chivenor have decided to leave the network to become their own charity, Chivenor Military Ladies Choir.

We wish them all the very best as they perform and sing together to raise awareness and provide welfare and support to their local military families, as well as help raise money for other causes in the local area.

The Military Wives Choirs – Armistice Day 2018

Sun, 11 Nov 2018 11:30:00 GMT

On this Armistice Day, Military Wives Choirs across the UK and overseas are performing at services in their local communities, acknowledging this poignant occasion.

Music played an important role during World War 1, both in the trenches and back at home. It was extremely important for the troops, who would sing for solidarity and to boost morale.

Our choirs continue that theme, bringing women in the military community closer together through singing to support Forces families. Therefore, today, we recognise this.

Our new album, ‘Remember’: http://smarturl.it/MWCRemember

‘Brave’ music video ft. Laura Wright and The Royal Marines Corps of Drums

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 16:33:00 GMT

We’re absolutely delighted to be able to share our ‘Brave’ music video!

Our ‘Brave’ music video featuring the fab and incredibly supportive Laura Wright who co-wrote the song, we visited three military bases from across the services to demonstrate the very real and present-day aspect of life in the military community for our choir members, whilst recognising the women of 1918 and showcasing the fabulous The Bands of HM Royal Marines (Official) Corps of Drums.

It is very much the ‘now’ of our # WorldWar1 commemoration.

We hope you enjoy it, let us know what you think!
________

Military Wives Choirs: ‘Remember’ album launch event

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 15:29:00 GMT

‘Remember’ Album

On 28th June 2018, we had an incredible evening to celebrate the release of the Military Wives Choirs new album, ‘Remember’, hosted at the London Scottish.

Featuring a stunning performance from 100 choir members from 35 different Military Wives Choirs and representing the MWC network of ‘The Poppy Red’ and joined by co-writer and soprano Laura Wright for ‘Brave’, as well as speeches from: conductor Hilary Davan Wetton; composers of ‘We Will Remember Them’ Joanna Forbes L’Estrange and Alexander L’Estrange; choir member Annelisa Brown; local MWC Musical Director and Band of the Household Cavalry musician Ben Roberts; and album co-producers Sean Hargreaves and John Haywood.

Take a look at some of the photos below.
Credit : Park Photography (www.park-photography.co.uk)

Listen to or purchase ‘Remember’ here

100 years of the RAF

Tue, 10 Jul 2018 17:16:00 GMT

Today, after 100 years, is a very special day for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as they commemorate and all those who serve in and alongside it.

To mark the service’s 100 years, a formation of one hundred aircraft from different eras of its history flew over central London in an iconic centenary flypast.

Celebrating 100 years of the RAF

Congratulations to all those across the RAF network who have been involved! It’s a particularly proud moment for Dishforth Military Wives Choir member Judy, whose son led the Chinook over Buckingham Palace.

We want to thank all past, present and future members of our Royal Air Force, for all that they do, wherever they are based # RAF100

Military Wives Choirs: The ‘Remember’ album is out now!

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 06:55:00 GMT

Military Wives Choirs: The ‘Remember’ Album

“Perhaps it will brighten the dark moments a little to think how you have meant to someone more than anything ever has or ever will.

What you have striven for will not end in nothing, all that you have done and been will not be wasted, for it will be a part of me as long as I live, and I shall remember, always.”

Vera Brittain, reflecting on WWI

We’re absolutely delighted to announce that the Military Wives Choirs ‘Remember’, album, commemorating 100 years since the end of World War 1, is out now!

This commemorative ‘Remember’ album tells the Military Wives Choirs’ unique story in collaboration with military musicians from across the three services through a combination of exciting new compositions and traditional songs, to mark the centenary of the end of World War 1.

The thousand voices appearing on our ‘Remember’ album represent the families at home and those who served, both then and now.

The perfect way to mark Armed Forces Day 2018.

Get your copy now, available from HMV and other independent outlets or online at Amazon: http://smarturl.it/MWCRemember

Listen to ‘Brave’, featuring Laura Wright and The Royal Marines Corps of Drums

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 07:00:00 GMT

With just a week to go until our new album, ‘Remember’, is out and after such a fabulous response to ‘The Poppy Red’, we’re delighted to announce that you can also now listen to ‘Brave’ on Spotify!: https://open.spotify.com/track/5SWtt9a74fUsdIvNhPeIwk

As our album tells the story of women in the military both then and now, ‘Brave’ looks to commemorate the World War I anniversary through the eyes of women in the military community in 2018. Co-written by and featuring the fabu lous soprano Laura Wright , the song was inspired by words from our network and is a celebration of the strength of our choir members every day – we are thrilled to have Laura’s support! The track is also accompanied by the fantastic The Bands of HM Royal Marines (Official) Corps of Drums who we are delighted to have on board.

We really hope you enjoy listening to it, and roll on next Friday when all 12 tracks will be released to the world!

Military Wives Choirs B&llas Awards Winners!

Fri, 27 Apr 2018 10:54:00 GMT

B&llas Awards

Yesterday (26th April) saw the ceremony for the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing, or B&llas Awards, at The Dorchester, London and what an incredible event it was!

We were delighted to have our fabulous North London Military Wives Choir performing three stunning songs to an enchanted audience – the ladies did brilliantly, entertaining the crowd and showing exactly what the Military Wives Choirs are all about.

We were also absolutely thrilled to find out that our gorgeous homeware and accessories range with M&Co won the ‘Inspired Innovation Brand Licensed Product or Range Award’! Our Vice Chair of Trustees Richard & choir member Trudi were proud to be on stage to collect the award on behalf of the organisation, with M&Co and CAA-GBG, our brand agent.

We would like to thank everyone who has got behind the M&Co collection – the nature of Forces life means that families are often moving house to new postings so it is lovely to have a homeware range which incorporates the colours and styles of the Military Wives Choirs to provide those little touches which make a house feel more homely.

The collection is still available in 135 stores across the UK, as well as online – take a look !

Singing side by side Blake

Sat, 14 Apr 2018 16:42:00 GMT

In summer last year, members of Cosford, Innsworth & Shawbury Military Wives Choirs came together to support the fab Blake and sing side by side the band on two special tracks for their 10 year anniversary album. The ladies did an amazing job, recording both ‘Nimrod’ and ‘O Waly Waly (The Water Is Wide)’, in what was a long but incredibly rewarding day in Birmingham.

Military Wives Choirs #SingShareSupport

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 12:41:00 GMT

Sing Share Support

Each Saturday has seen choirs coming together across the country for a #SingShareSupport workshop, delving into every aspect of singing in a choir and learning from the immensely inspiring Dominic Ellis-Peckham .

Now it’s time for February to kick off so we can continue bringing the Military Wives Choirs network together to tell the story of women in 1918 and today.

Remember you can still support us by pre-ordering the album right now at www.pledgemusic.com/mwc

We are working with M&Co!

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:04:00 GMT

We’re absolutely delighted to announce that we have partnered with homeware and fashion brand M&Co for a special Military Wives Choirs range!

The nature of forces life means that families are often moving house to new postings and every new posting for a military wife can be as daunting as it is exciting. But for women in the military community, the Military Wives Choirs create a real feeling of home and support.

The Military Wives Choirs and M&Co have worked together to create a home collection which incorporates the colours and styles of the Military Wives Choirs and provides those little touches which make a house feel more homely. They will also be stocking the ‘Home For Christmas’ album leading up to the festive period.

For every purchase made, a percentage of the profits will be donated to the Military Wives Choirs, meaning that you are helping to bring women in the military community together through singing.

135 stores across the UK

online

Keep checking back for news of launch performances in stores across the UK, coming soon!

Cover stars of Army&You magazine

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 13:24:00 GMT

Have you spotted the Autumn edition of Army&You Magazine? We’re absolutely delighted to be featured on the front cover!

You can read Jules from North London Military Wives Choir’s story on page 29 talking about what choir means to her. She says:

“I’ve secured some lovely friendships with women of all ages with different connections to the military – it’s such an amazing thing to be involved in.”

To read the whole article, visit Army&You’s website .

If Jule’s story has inspired you, please get in touch to join a Military Wives Choir or donate to allow us to reach more women in the military community.

The post Cover stars of Army&You magazine appeared first on Military Wives Choirs .

The Military Wives Choirs are going on tour!

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 12:46:00 GMT

We’re delighted to announce that we’re going on tour this November and December!

Christmas is all about spending quality time with family and friends, yet this can be particularly tough for serving families when loved ones are away, unable to be together over the festive season.

Military Wives Choirs are more than just a place to sing – they enable women in the military community to come together to sing, share and support one another and often become a second family that women can depend on.

The Home for Christmas tour celebrates the Military Wives Choirs family, bringing ladies from across our choirs together at this special time of year to stand stronger together and express themselves through song.

Come and support the Military Wives Choirs family this Christmas as they tour the UK for these very special evenings of song, in some of the UK’s most stunning venues.

Tickets are on sale now* from www.ticketmaster.co.uk/militarywiveschoirs

*please note tickets for St Clement Danes on the Strand, Truro Cathedral and St Michael’s Tidworth will be released soon

The post The Military Wives Choirs are going on tour! appeared first on Military Wives Choirs .

Gemma, overseas posting & member of Paderborn MWC

Fri, 18 Aug 2017 11:01:00 GMT

Gemma moved overseas two years ago when her husband was posted to Germany. She was nervous about leaving friends and family behind – that’s where the choir came in:

“Living in Germany, as I’m sure with any posting abroad, has been a mixed bag of wonderful highs and sometimes lonely lows. I moved here from my small hometown where pretty much all of my family and friends live, most of whom I’ve been friends with for over twenty years.

It was thus with an excited but nervous heart I left. I was thrilled to finally be living with my soldier, ecstatic to be married, and looking forward to starting a new life outside of my goldfish bowl of a hometown. However, I was worried that I’d never make close friends in the same way.

Now, after two years of living here, I can safely say that it’s wonderful for families, the summers are fantastic and I did meet other women I love hanging out with – one of these ways was thanks to the Paderborn Military Wives Choir.

I decided to join the choir because life as a military wife can be lonely. As great as they are, sometimes it can be frustrating only meeting women who are parents of your kid’s friends!

My favourite thing about my first rehearsal was how amazingly kind everybody was. Groups of women of any kind can be scary but the choir ladies were incredibly forgiving of my not so perfect voice and very encouraging. I instantly felt like I was welcomed into a community. The ladies were full of stories of how they’d supported each other when husbands were away, having baby showers and dinner dates together. It was inspiring and something I wanted to be part of – women supporting other women with understanding and without judgement.

I’d definitely recommend joining the choir to anyone, regardless of your husband’s rank or your ability to sing, whether you’ve got kids or not. The choir allows you to be just you, not just a wife or just a mum, and that can be a rare thing as a military wife and mother.

For those few hours in the rehearsal room you can leave your baggage at the door and just sing with other lovely, like-minded women.”

If Gemma’s story has inspired you to join, find your local choir here and get in touch with them, or contact info@militarywiveschoirs.org

Portsmouth MWC honour HMS Queen Elizabeth as she arrives in Portsmouth

Wed, 16 Aug 2017 10:37:00 GMT

Photo credit: @RoyalNavy via Twitter

This morning (16 August 2017), lots of our ladies were down at Portmouth harbour’s entrance to see Britain’s future flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth sail into her home port for the first time.

Portsmouth MWC recorded a beautiful version of ‘Sailing’, a song that means a lot to them, to honour the occasion. Listen here .

The post Portsmouth MWC honour HMS Queen Elizabeth as she arrives in Portsmouth appeared first on Military Wives Choirs .

Sing, Share, Support update – July 2017

Tue, 25 Jul 2017 09:20:00 GMT

Workshops

A lot has developed since our last Sing, Share, Support project update! Most importantly, we’ve decided to condense the workshops into two amazing months – January and February 2018. We think this works better for a number of reasons, so we’ve sent out ‘save the dates’ now and we hope your weekend is in the diary! We’ve also decided that, instead of the evening events, we are putting all our energy (and budget!) into making the daytime as brilliant as possible, with the possible addition of some extra activity on the Sunday (but we’re still working on that).

The dates are as follows:

We can reveal that our amazing venues are nearly all Hilton hotels, and in Colchester we will be in a beautiful, brand new art gallery and education space! We hope you enjoy the wonderful surroundings over the course of your workshop day.

New core repertoire – arrangements

In other Sing, Share, Support news, we’re really pleased to hear that the new core repertoire arrangements are starting to be performed by choirs. Fight Song has been a particular success and the choirs we’ve heard are sounding great. If you have any thoughts on what you’d like to see in future new repertoire, please do send them to songsuggestions@militarywiveschoirs.org.

New core repertoire – commissions

Finally, none of this would be possible without our grant, so once again thank you to the Libor Fund for their support.

Julia x

Up next… Revealing your brilliant, dynamic and talented Workshop Leader!

Congratulations to trustee Richard on his commendation!

Thu, 20 Jul 2017 12:17:00 GMT

We’re proud to announce that one of our trustees, LCoH Richard Stringfellow, has received a Commendation from the Director Corps of Army Music, Colonel Barry Jenkins, for the dedication he’s shown to the Military Wives Choirs.

Richard has been the Musical Director of the Windsor MWC since 2014 and became a trustee in 2015, alongside his role in the Band of the Household Cavalry. At both a local and a national level he contributes hugely to the success of the choirs, whether through his work with Windsor MWC, his assistance at major events, his support with the development of new music, or his vitally important role as a trustee. His enthusiasm, approachability and passion for helping women in the military community are second to none.

We want to thank Richard for his hard work and congratulate him. Thanks also to the ladies of the Military Wives Choir, Windsor for their support of Richard.

Congratulations all!

The post Congratulations to trustee Richard on his commendation! appeared first on Military Wives Choirs .

Charlie, currently serving & member of Digby MWC

Wed, 19 Jul 2017 10:30:00 GMT

Charlie has been part of the Army for five years but wasn’t aware that you could join a Military Wives Choir if you are serving. She wishes she had known sooner:

“I am a Corporal who has been in the army for five years. Being female and in the forces is lonely sometimes as it’s a very male dominated environment. There are very few other ladies to hang out or share hobbies with so you have to seek things out which are outside of work.

I first saw the Digby Military Wives Choir performing at a family day held on camp. They sounded brilliant and looked like they were having loads of fun so it really peaked my interest. I have always had a passion for singing but I wasn’t aware that you could join a Military Wives Choir as a member of serving personnel. Therefore, it wasn’t until after I married my husband who is also in the army that I thought about joining. I wish I had known sooner!

The choir is a great opportunity to do something I love whilst hanging out with other women who have a shared interest. I feel like I can let my hair down, both figuratively and literally, and enjoy the relaxed, fun atmosphere. Everyone has a military connection so they are all really understanding about everything that goes with being in the army.

I would definitely recommend joining a Military Wives Choir, particularly to serving women. It offers something different to the usual sporting activities on military camps and it doesn’t even matter if you’re not the best singer as there aren’t any auditions to worry about, it’s open to everyone. My Military Wives Choir is a great way to come together with other women – I’m very glad that I’m a member.”

If Charlie’s story has inspired you to join, find your local choir here and get in touch with them, or contact info@militarywiveschoirs.org

Bristol Military Wives Choir in concert

Fri, 13 Jan 2017 10:28:00 GMT

Bristol Military Wives Choir recently performed their 2016 Christmas concert in Frenchay Parish Church. They were directed by Beth Morgan and accompanied by Dave Kelly. It looks to have been a fabulous evening!

Many thanks to David Hirst for the video.

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Home for Christmas album released!

Thu, 24 Nov 2016 00:24:00 GMT

We’re happy to announce the release of our new Christmas album!

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Military Wives Choirs Foundation honoured with RSPH Special Commendation

Wed, 18 Nov 2015 15:19:00 GMT

RSPH Arts & Health Awards 2015, 28 Portland Place, London. Picture by: www.matthewwalkerphotography.com

We are delighted to have received a Special Commendation from the Royal Society for Public Health’s Art and Health Awards for our research study into the health impact of singing and being part of a Military Wives Choir. The RSPH arts and health awards recognise organisations and initiatives that draw on the power of music, visual arts, drama and dance to help promote health and wellbeing.

The awards took place at the Royal Society for Public Health in London where the North London Military Wives Choirs proudly opened proceedings. The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC presented the award to Sara Smalley, MWCF Trustee. Sara said “The Military Wives Choirs Foundation is delighted to receive this commendation. We knew that Military Wives Choirs were providing fun and friendship, but we were greatly encouraged by results of the research showing the deeper health and wellbeing impact. Involvement in the RSPH awards has provided us with a spotlight to herald the positive health benefits of being a member of a Military Wives Choir. MWCF provides support and services to women in the military community wherever they are based, across a network of 75 choirs.”

Working in partnership with the Sidney De Haan Centre at Canterbury Christ Church University we surveyed members of the Military Wives Choirs network in late 2014 to determine first-hand the health and wellbeing impact of singing together. These responses highlighted the powerful positive impact of being part of a Military Wives Choir. 73% of choir members felt a stronger sense of wellbeing since joining a Military Wives Choir, 85% increased in confidence through performing and 80% noted a positive effect on their health as a result of singing.

Listen to an interview with Sara Smalley on BFBS Radio here:

RSPH Award Sara Smalley on BFBS

Military Wives Choir First World War Prom

Mon, 08 Dec 2014 19:33:00 GMT

Earlier this year, we took centre stage at the Royal Albert Hall in a special Prom to commemorate the start of the First World War. The ‘Proms Military Wives Choir’ was directed by Gareth Malone and made up of singers from 42 different choirs in the Military Wives Choirs network. The amazing story of the choir’s journey to the Prom is the subject of a new two part BBC documentary – the first episode will be shown on Tuesday 16th December 2014 at 21.00 on BBC with episode 2 following on 24 ^th December at 20.30.

The sell-out concert, which was part of the BBC’s annual Proms series, took place on Sunday 3 ^rd August, the eve of the 100 ^th Anniversary of the day Britain entered the war. On the day, the choir was joined by life-size puppets from the National Theatre’s production of Michael Morpurgo’s ‘War Horse’. The Prom will be broadcast on BBC2, 26 ^th December, 17.30.

The documentary tells the story of how Gareth Malone selected the 100 strong choir and then led it through a grueling rehearsal schedule in preparation for its unique commemorative performance. At the concert the women performed a series of taxing classical pieces including Elgar’s ‘The Snow’ and an incredibly moving setting of Tennyson’s poem ‘Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead’. Many of the pieces were composed at the time of the First World War.

Nicky Clarke, Chair of the Military Wives Choirs Foundation, said, “We were honoured to perform at this extraordinarily special event, remembering as it did the role that women and music played during the First World War. The documentary tells the first-hand story of the women in the choir, illustrating some very strong parallels with the experiences of women some 100 years before.”

Watch the BBC2 Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I77QO_GRkxA

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Military Wives Choirs at Invictus Games

Thu, 11 Sep 2014 22:57:00 GMT

Military Wives Choirs are thrilled to be performing at the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games.

Launched by Prince Harry earlier this year, the event will use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect of those who serve their country. The Invictus Games are being organised with the support and backing of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry and the Ministry of Defence.

Featuring some of the world’s greatest acts, the Jaguar Land Rover Invictus Games Closing Concert will also include the medal presentations for the inspirational winning competitors. Starting at 5pm, the five-hour multi-artist event will have highlights broadcast on BBC2. Find out more about Invictus Games here http://invictusgames.org/

War Horse: Prom 22 commemorates the start of the First World War

Mon, 08 Sep 2014 10:32:00 GMT

Beverly, of the Prom Military Wives Choir said, “I feel so immensely proud to have been a part of this amazing performance especially on the eve of the centenary of WW1. I have learnt so much and met so many lovely people. Taking part in the Proms was truly the most amazing thing I have ever done. A lifetime of memories!”

The Prom will be screened on BBC TV this autumn.

BBC D-Day commemoration concert

Wed, 04 Jun 2014 09:35:00 GMT

SSAFA, The Royal British Legion and SkillForce are joining with the BBC to screen a D-Day commemoration concert at The Royal Albert Hall. This special “Friday Night is Music Night” will be presented by Jeremy Vine, Dermot O’Leary and Louise Minchin. The event features music with Vera Lynn, Catherine Jenkins, Seth Lakeman, the Portsmouth Military Wives Choir and diaries and readings by a cast of stars led by Patrick Stewart as Winston Churchill. To find out more about this event please visit http://www.ddayconcert.com/

While the concert at the Royal Albert Hall has now sold out, cinemas nationwide will be broadcasting the live event, giving you the opportunity to experience it on the big screen. To find a cinema screening near you please visit: http://ddayconcert.com/

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Scottish Support for SSAFA

Thu, 07 Nov 2013 10:30:00 GMT

“The West of Scotland Military Wives Choir were honoured to perform for the annual SSAFA Bereaved Families Support Group’s (BFSG) conference. The forty strong choir sang a fifty minute upbeat set after the conference’s completion dinner, held at the Radisson Blu, Glasgow. The audience, bereaved families of all ages, loved every minute and took great pleasure in participating – there was lots of dancing, singing and clapping! The TAPS (Tragedy Assistant Program for Survivors) families from America were made extremely welcome with some classic American repertoire, and they also received a gift from the choir which they will proudly display in their HQ in Washington.”

“The West of Scotland MWC led by Miriam were superb this weekend, delivering a spirited and individual performance to our BFSG. What I particularly liked is it was not the usual type of performance I had seen before. They included the audience actively, encouraging their participation, which they got! They were flexible, fitting in singing happy birthday to one of our founding members on her 70th. They also researched the audience singing American tunes for our TAPS visitors from the USA.

Bearing in mind they were playing to an audience whose loved ones went away and did not come back they sensitively adapted their programme to reflect this.

Miriam herself was charismatic and led the production with enthusiasm professionalism and confidence. A truly excellent performance all round.”