One of my Women’s Institute activities is to help run a Singing Group. We meet monthly for a friendly sing-along with CDs and are gradually finding some favourite songs, which are varied and slightly eclectic 🎵
This evening we enjoyed singing a couple by ABBA, Yesterday (Beatles), Three Little Birds (Bob Marley) and did South Australia (Fisherman’s Friends) acapella. We’ve not tried any harmonies on this one but I did try to teach some on Any Dream Will Do (from Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat)… it’s early days!
We are very much a singing group as opposed to a choir, and I think that’s an important distinction. Our group is purely to meet and have an enjoyable time together, and there’s no pressure to perform. We may one day do something for the members of our own WI but the aim isn’t to do concerts or enter competitions.
It is proven that singing (and singing in a group) has many positive benefits, such as building a sense of community, helping to improve memory, lowers blood pressure and most importantly makes you feel happy – as you can see from all these smiling ladies.
Elizabeth Mooney 