RESIDENTS of all ages are being invited to join a new community choir.

Ysgol Gymraeg Mornant in Picton, Pen y Ffordd, is to launch the new choir on May 25.

It has been funded by a National Lottery community fund grant and is being led by a non-profit organisation named Can Sing.

Bethan Jones, head teacher at at the school, said: "It is about community wellbeing and bringing people together.

"There doesn’t seem to be a lot happening in Picton so we approached Can Sing and we got Lottery funding to establish a cross age community choir.

"We want as many people to come as possible.

"The choir is going to find out what people want, as it will be led by the community.

"You don’t have to be able to sing. It’s just a great opportunity to get people together."

Suzanne Barnes, director at Can Sing, said: "The choir will meet at Ysgol Mornant, be bilingual and open access for all and we hope to recruit pupils, parents, extended family, teachers and other school staff alongside residents of the local area and those living in the retirement home nearby and entice them to become involved in the choir by providing a professional and highly regarded team of choral director and accompanist.

"At the moment we are in the recruitment phase and are launching with our first session on Saturday, May 25.

"We would encourage anyone who’d like to know more to come along. There’s no cost, there’ll be no auditions or any expectations, participants don’t need to read music or have any experience of a choir at all - they just need to bring their enthusiasm.

"The sessions will be lots of fun, there’s no massive commitment and Sioned Foulkes will be leading the sessions - and she is a highly experienced vocal animateur.

"There’s plenty of evidence on the benefits of singing, particularly as a group. Singing has numerous physical, neurological and social outcomes and it has been shown to have a positive effect on mental health."

Anyone who wants more information can contact sioned.foulkes@cansing.org.uk