Singers from Musselburgh enjoyed performing some of their favourite songs in the bandstand at the town’s Lewisvale Park with the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions after 18 months.

The Honest Singers were joined by two members of the Lakeland Voice Choir, whom they met at the 2017 Street Choir Festival in Kendal.

The group started as an evening class led by Alison Vasey in Fisherrow Community Centre in 2009 and developed into a small choir.

The members met regularly in Musselburgh Congregational Church Hall to sing for fun and enjoyed singing so much they decided to busk to raise money for charity. Since then, until 2019, they raised £6,200 – all of which has been donated to charities such as Marie Curie, Musselburgh-based CHANGES Community Health Project, and Teapot Trust, also based in Musselburgh, which provides support for children and families coping with chronic conditions by delivering art therapy.

When Covid restrictions meant they were unable to meet to rehearse, they started a fortnightly Zoom session, which gave members the opportunity to sing to each other and have social chat, in a bid to reduce the feeling of isolation.

Other street festivals the Honest Singers have attended in the past have been been Whitby 2016, Brighton 2018 and Manchester 2019.

Yvonne Cunningham, a member of the Honest Singers, said: “We also formed a friendship with Knot Another Choir from Knaresborough and, prior to Covid, we have each hosted a choir reunion in our respective towns. Some of our members have also participated in Zoom sessions from Kendal and Knaresborough this past year.”

The singers are delighted that friendships have been maintained and strengthened during the pandemic and it is hoped it won’t be too long before they can start rehearsing again for busking sessions.

Alison said: “We also look forward to attending future Street Choirs Festivals, which in normal circumstances are held annually throughout the UK.”