The director of Three Valleys Gospel Choir switched use of her lungs for a good cause recently.
Ailsa Nicholson normally leads the Todmorden-based choir in song and turned breathing techniques to charitable use when she swam two miles in aid of Macmillan Cancer in the Great Scottish Swim at Loch Lomand on Saturday, August 23!
Ailsa said: “I finished in one hour 28 minutes, which is great because I had never swum two miles before! My previous longest distance was just over a mile. I hope all that swimming will give me increased lung capacity, ready for our new term of singing.”
She is now back leading the choir as it goes into a new series of singing.
The choir meets every Monday night at Central Methodist Church, Todmorden (7.30pm) and began last week.
New singers are welcome at any meeting but this Monday, September 8, a special Everyone Can Sing open session has been specially arranged for new singers to have a go or check the choir out.
Choir member Jim Peterkin said: “There’s room for lots of people, so if you think it might be for you come along and check us out, preferably around 7.15pm to meet Ailsa. There’s not many men in the choir so more men would be good.”
The choir already has some concert dates fixed although it is not compulsory to appear at them.
Jim said: “We’ll be singing at Heptonstall Festival on Saturday, September 20, then at the Incredible Edible harvest festival the day after in Todmorden. After that we will be on the bill at the Almighty Sound concert at the Unitarian Church in Todmorden on Saturday, September 27, if anyone would like to come and see us - and bring all your friends!
“Additionally, we are having our Everyone Can Sing sixth birthday party and open mic, with special guest David Barker. This will be at the Masonic Hall on Friday evening, September 5, at the Masonic Hall, Todmorden at 7.30pm - this is open to all old, current and new choir members.”