The Cotswold Male Voice Choir is this year celebrating its 70th anniversary.

The choir, which began in Bishop’s Cleeve at S. Smiths and Sons Ltd, is now based in Cheltenham, with rehearsals at Dean Close School.

John McDonnell – no relation to the current Shadow Chancellor of the same name, he assures – has been a member of the choir for around 12 years.

“I was a newcomer to Cheltenham when I moved here from the North East and it’s very difficult to find friends or get involved in the community when you move,” he said.

“I saw a sign in a shop on Bath Road that said, ‘Would you like to sing?’, so I went along to a rehearsal at Prince Michael Hall at Dean Close School.

“I was more than a little nervous but the chairman came up to me seeing I was new and asked me, ‘have you ever sung in a choir before?’ to which I said no. Then he asked, ‘have you ever sung before?’ and I said, ‘only at the back of the bus on rugby tour’!”

Ever since then John has been an avid member of the choir and explains how the group has changed over the years.

“In 1949 a Welshman called Dave Williams got his colleagues together at Smiths and Sons to do some singing. In those days they were rehearsing in the work canteen, but they quickly became renowned throughout Gloucestershire.

“It was in the 60s when they changed from Smiths Male Voice Choir to Cotswold Male Voice Choir because they were beginning to attract members from a wide area.

“We’ve continued to do that and now we sing anywhere and everywhere. We’ve held concerts in Gloucester Cathedral, Tewkesbury Abbey, Cheltenham Town Hall and village halls all over the county.

“And of course then we sing in the local pub afterwards – and we might even sound a little better after a couple of drinks!

“With the resurgent interest in choirs we’ve now got 50 members and we’re on the up. We’re a registered charity and like to raise funds for local causes.”

The choir perform at a real range of events – as an example John says one day they performed at Dunkerton’s Cider Company and the next they were in a Care Home performing for residents.

The choir have even performed on television, on the 1976 HTV talent show ‘Best in the West’, and BBC Points West in 2009, and just last year members of the choir joined pupils from Dean Close School to record a song and video for England’s World Cup campaign.

“We’re not a classical or choral society – though we often do sacred songs especially when performing at church fundraisers,” continued John, who is also the choir’s treasurer. “But some choirs might limit themselves to a genre – we’ve got a broader range.

“Male Voice Choirs do have a strong heritage in Wales from which comes some wonderful Welsh hymns. Since our current Chairman is from Swansea, we learn Welsh phonetically and he helps us with pronunciation.

“Then we also do songs from the charts and from the musicals. One of our favourites at the moment is ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ from The Lion King.”

Amongst a packed performance schedule, the choir will be celebrating their 70th anniversary with a special get together on Saturday 11th May.

“We’re having a celebratory dinner to which all current and former members are invited, together with their partners and friends,” continued John. “Hopefully we’ll have 100-150 people there.

“We’ve asked for people to bring along choir memorabilia, anything from programmes to ties. I was talking to a former colleague who’s in his 80s now and will be coming along who said he’ll be bringing a jacket that’s 40 years old!”

And with plenty of old friends returning, John can’t overestimate the support the choir has had, and continues to have, from the local community.

“I think everyone can sing, we all do it listening to the radio. Some of us just need a bit of support and guidance,” he added.

“Alongside the enjoyment of singing there’s the camaraderie – nothing keeps people together like singing in harmony.”