NEW singing initiatives, designed to improve health and wellbeing, will soon be launched in Salisbury and Amesbury.

Sing and Breathe Salisbury will be bringing two new projects to the city, after successfully securing a grant from the Postcode Community Trust.

The funding will maintain the already established singing group, The Salisbury Breathless Singers, but will also enable the delivery of four six-week introductory courses, as well as monthly outreach sessions.

Music for Wellbeing Community Interest Company (CIC) and Friends of Salisbury Medical Practice worked together to make the new projects a reality, and co-director of Music for Wellbeing CIC, Liv McLennan, said she is "delighted" that singing for health is becoming more popular across the county.

She added: "Not only are the arts being recognised by funding bodies as having a key role to play in people’s health and wellbeing, but also by local communities themselves.

"These singing for lung health projects are now one of the best funded of their type in the country and are leading the way with testing innovative delivery models."

Music for Wellbeing CIC is also launching a weekly singing group from September for people with lung conditions, entitled Sing Out for Lung Health, after securing the top spot in the Amesbury and Durrington Tesco Bags of Help schemes.

Liv added: "I would like to thank the Friends of Salisbury Medical Practice for working in partnership with Music for Wellbeing, the Postcode Community Trust for funding Sing and Breathe Salisbury, Tesco Bags of Help and the people of Amesbury and Durrington for voting for the Sing Out for Lung Health project.

"We cannot wait to start the projects in September, building on the success of the previous two and a half years and being able to support more people with lung conditions to manage their breathing more effectively.”

Sing and Breathe Salisbury will be officially launched by Mayor of Salisbury John Walsh on September 21, at The Vestry Bar, from 2.30pm until 4.30pm.

As part of the festivities The Salisbury Pluckers ukulele band will be providing music alongside the Salisbury Breathless Singers, who will also be unveiling their new logo.

Sing out for Lung Health will begin on September 27, between 1 and 2pm at Evergreen Court in Amesbury.