The additional funding for five years, will go towards supporting the two choirs the charity currently runs, and further developing the availability of singing to the local communities in order to aid recovery, health and wellbeing after cancer.

Founded in 2013 by five health care professionals, three of whom continue as trustees of the charity, Rising Voices Wessex is staffed by volunteers. Research has shown the positive impact of singing on wellbeing – singing in a choir can help restore confidence and through social contact it can also decrease isolation and loneliness. Rising Voices Wessex has over 120 local people who have benefited from the services of the choir to date.

Even at this difficult time in lockdown, the choirs are playing and important part in people’s lives by providing virtual choirs on a Monday and Tuesday evening – so there’s still time to have a good sing and catch up with everyone.

Rising Voices Wessex wants to continue to spread the word and share the magic – singing is good for you.

The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK, will see the choirs continue to grow and develop under the guidance of a professional musical director and accompanist.

One fo the founders and chair of Trustees, Dr Alastair Smith, states: “Health services are good at measuring how much or how little cancer may be present – but they not so good at seeing how well individuals may be. Our aim is help people enjoy the best quality of life. Singing in a choir is one way to help achieve this and, at the same time, reduce some of the pressures on the NHS by helping people to be and feel well. Thanks to the National Lottery we can continue to help people affected by cancer.”

One of Rising Voices Wessex members said, “Since joining Rising Voices I have met and made lifelong friendships with some wonderful people. By coming together through the power of singing in the choir, I have found I can forget the worries, stress and heartache that comes from living with cancer in your life and the lives of loved ones. Whenever the choir meets, we meet as a family and I truly believe that the bond we all have cannot be replaced by any other medicine, treatment or therapy. Rising Voices Wessex is the best group I could ever hope to find and long may it continue to welcome newcomers with open arms.”