“SORRY,” said Tricia, “Can’t make Tuesday, it’s Rock Choir night.” “Rock Choir?” I said, trying to hide my incredulity.

“But you’ve always told me that you can’t sing. And you don’t like rock music – you’re Classic FM and radio 3!”

“I can’t,” she replied, “And I don’t – it’s a way to meet people.”

Tricia recently moved; new house, new part of the country, new job – a whole new era. Her children have left home, a troubled marriage is behind her.

But as anyone who’s done it will tell you, starting out again later in life isn’t easy. Hence the ‘Rock choir’.

I imagined a whole choir of people, all of whom hated rock music, none of whom could sing, perfunctorily performing a few pieces while the members got down to the real business of the evening in prolonged coffee breaks.

But Tricia assured me it wasn’t like that, she was building her confidence and, yes, had met a few new people, but much to her surprise, was beginning to find her voice and discover that she could actually sing!

At the other end of the spectrum is the Eurovision party I attended this year.

As we focussed on the serious business of the evening (consuming drinks that represented the participating countries) one of us was taking it very seriously.

“Not giving them any points,” he said, “They were flat.”

A professional singer, he was rating them all, not according to whether he liked the song or how they looked on TV, but according to the quality of their performance.

Few made it through unscathed and his scoring bore no resemblance to the final score (except in the ritual humiliation of the UK entry).

Whether a professional, or the world’s most abject amateur, everyone has a voice and most people at some time in their life will let it rip: alone in the bath, at a rugby match, birthday party, church, out on the downs walking the dog, or after a few too many beers... It doesn’t matter whether you have a voice that inspires or one that doubles as a foghorn, singing feels good.

It’s claimed that singing will prolong life, boost memory, aid creativity, improve health (like exercise, it gets extra oxygen to the lungs) fill the brain with healthy chemicals, help you express feelings, bring people together, release stress and makes you happier. Not bad for something that’s free!

This month sees the return to Salisbury of Celebrate Voice, bringing together an eclectic selection of singing with vocal performances of jazz, opera, folk, blues and local talent.

While on November 14, children in years 2, 3 and 4 will be able to find out what it’s like to Be a Chorister for a Day with Salisbury’s Cathedral choir.

But to really appreciate good singing – you just have to head upstairs, lock the door and star in your own version of ‘My Bathroom’s Got Talent’.