New Year is a time when many people pay out for a gym membership to get into shape following the excesses of the festive season.
But a number of people across the north-east have ditched their running shoes for ‘Rock Choir’ singing lessons that organisers say are helping to burn calories.
Originally started in Surrey in 2005, the Rock Choir phenomenon has swept the country. There are more than 17,000 members across the UK meeting every week to sing along to a variety of musical styles including pop, rock and soul.
As well as offering people with no previous experience the chance to test their mettle, Rock Choir say their 90-minute sessions can help keep singers in shape.
Christopher Mutch, choir leader for Stonehaven, Inverurie, Peterhead and Aberdeen, leads his mainly female groups through the music and backs them up on keyboard.
Mr Mutch, a former music student at Aberdeen University, said: “Obviously we’re not trying to say singing makes you slim, but actually singing does still burn calories, so it can be something that’s part of a healthy lifestyle.
“But the main benefits are stress-busting, it’s a huge release and helps people improve their breathing.
“For me, the best part of the job is the actual choir rehearsals, it’s a sociable way to meet new people and catch up with those that you haven’t seen all week, and have a great time singing loads of songs.”
Melanie Torrance, a health and safety inspector from Newtonhill, is one of the Stonehaven choir’s longest-standing members.
She said: “I thought that it looked really good fun when I saw it on telly, and thought I had to have a go of that.
“There’s just something about it that makes you really happy, there’s something special about singing communally with other people.
“There are no auditions, it doesn’t matter if you think you are a good singer or not, just give it a try because everybody is really friendly and it’s a great way to keep your mind active.”
Teacher Karen Cable from Cove visited the Stonehaven branch of the Rock Choir for the first time on January 12.
She said: “It makes you realise that you can do things that you might have thought were out of your capabilities, but it was really friendly and didn’t feel too pressurised, so it was great fun.”