Taunton Military Wives Choir set up (From Somerset County Gazette)

Taunton Military Wives Choir set up

10:24am Thursday 14th March 2013 in News By Daniel Milligan

WIVES and girlfriends of servicemen based in Taunton have set up their very own Military Wives Choir.

The Taunton Military Wives Choir currently has 24 members with some living in the area and others set to move in the summer when their partners and husbands are deployed to work locally.

They are linked to the first Military Wives Choir which became a phenomenal success after their song ‘Wherever You Are’ reached number one in the UK music charts, raising more than £500,000 for military charities.

Alecia Emerson-Thomas is organising the group, and hopes more people will support and join the choir.

She said: “This is an opportunity to do something for ourselves and get together with the girls, andhopefully inthe future raise money for good causes.

“We have a few tricks up our sleeves to make us slightly ‘different’ to existing choirs across the country and have plans for something special with the children,too.”

Once the group has grown and completed rehearsals, they hope to be able to perform and raise funds for the charities Go Commando, Help For Heroes and the Royal Marine Charitable Trust Fund.

Angharad Waters will volunteer her services as choir master, and at least one member was part of the original choir at Chivenor while another is a professional song-stress.

Mos tmembers have husbands serving in Afghanistan.

To join the choir, email tauntonmilitarychoir@hotmail.com

*AROUND 200 Royal Marines are back home as part of a phased return which will see all 650 troops at Norton Manor Camp by April 25.

On Sunday, March 24, a further 112 troops from Bravo Company will fly back from Helmand Province in Afghanistan to the camp in Norton Fitzwarren.

A spokesman said the return is going to plan.

The troops will march through Taunton town centre as part of their homecoming parade on Thursday, May 16, at around 9am-10am.

Details about traffic disruption will be announced nearer the date.