Alnwick singing group helping people make friends and boost wellbeing

The Singing Collective was formed by Adriana McCool with a mission to unite people through the joy of singing with no pressure to perform and at no cost.

Each Thursday, the group meet at The Oaks Hotel in Alnwick, who have kindly offered up use of a room free-of-charge, for an hour of singing followed by coffee and a chat.

Adriana said: “I've always been a singer and I come from a musical family. I wanted to do something for the community and share my love of music for free.

“There's no pressure to perform. It's all about having fun and the pure joy of it.”

Adriana explained how the singing can reduce anxiety and stress and how the group has helped attendees foster meaningful connections and friendships.

“Singing is extremely good for mental health,” she added. “It's been proven that it's really good, and it's good for your breathing. When you’re singing, you forget everything else.

“A lot of people think they can't sing, but they can. You just belt out a song and it just makes you feel so much better.”

Since launching in March, the group has grown in size, with the latest session seeing 26 people attend.

Following the success of the Alnwick group, Adriana has now also launched further sessions in Morpeth and Cornhill.

“It's just grown bigger and bigger,” Adriana added. “It’s just been amazing and everybody who comes absolutely loves it.

“The Oaks have been absolutely amazing too. The whole camaraderie and community spirit is really great.”