When I was at school, one of the music teachers held auditions for the junior choir by getting us all to sing together while he walked around the room, leaning in to listen to each child and then sticking a red, amber or green sticker on us, depending on what he heard. 

True Story. You can close your jaw now. 

Even though I received a green sticker and have gone on to enjoy singing well into adulthood (kind of a given when your Mum is a music teacher and your brother is an semi-pro saxophonist), I often think about how scarring that experience must have been for those who received amber and red stickers, especially when singing is good for you… whether you’re ‘good’ or not.

Whether you’re a karaoke queen or king, shower diva or car radio belter, there is a growing body of evidence that highlights the wellbeing benefits of singing, as outlined in this great article from Happiful magazine.

Singing helps you breathe deeply, connect with others (whether in a band or a choir), create ‘happy hormones’, triggering endorphins like oxytocin and dopamine, boost your confidence, and is available to you anytime and anywhere. So it’s not surprising that lunchtime choirs are popping up in all kinds of workplaces to give staff a wellbeing workout in the middle of their day.

During this Covid-19 lockdown period, many have taken the opportunity to join virtual choirs. And because of the latency of online communication platforms, you can sing your heart out while you’re on mute. 

Thank you to staff and volunteers at Bromley, Lewisham and Greenwich Mind for joining me as I dusted off my ukulele last week and led a lunchtime sing-song to ‘Stand By Me’ By The Beatles