At the Bromley Barbershop Harmony Club, we were interested to read your article explaining how science is showing that singing boosts quality of life (A mega-mechanism for bonding: why singing together does us good, 15 December).
We have long recognised the health and social benefits of singing, especially communal singing, as described by the research of professors Daisy Fancourt and Robin Dunbar.
Many of the chorus have been with us for decades. Lifelong friendships have been formed and members young and old all acknowledge that singing boosts their mental and physical health.
We only have to look at three members who are now in their 90s to see how much singing improves wellbeing: they are all in fantastic physical and mental shape and never miss our weekly rehearsals.
We have noticed that members who join together from each particular year group form very strong bonds of camaraderie. Singing is also a fantastic hobby and we urge everyone to join a local singing group, whether barbershop, choral, gospel, church or rock choir.
Martin Gayton
Vice-chair, Bromley Barbershop Harmony Club, London
• I fully endorse Ian Sample’s observations on the value of singing, especially with others. I benefited from singing during my speech therapy after a stroke: my articulation of consonants suffered badly, with the stroke affecting my tongue muscles. The value of singing is the slower pace of diction, so I had time to organise my articulation, and the effect of rhythm, to get the pronunciation of words right. I can keep pace with the singing of carols, but not the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer!
Dr Paul Tench
Former senior lecturer in applied linguistics, Cardiff University
• Do you have a photograph you’d like to share with Guardian readers? If so, please click here to upload it. A selection will be published in our Readers’ best photographs galleries and in the print edition on Saturdays.
