Salisbury Breathless Singers get £10,000 lottery funding to help Long-Covid sufferers
It will also help the group get back up and running after lockdown
£10,000 of national lottery funding has been awarded to the 'Salisbury Breathless Singers'.
The group help those, living in Wiltshire, manage breathlessness with singing exercises.
The grant will allow the group to restart their choir in person, combatting the loneliness that many of their members have faced due months of shielding from COVID-19.
Set up in 2017, the organisation has welcomed many people to their choirs and workshops.
Teaching breathing techniques and singing songs, they help people regain the ability to walk long distances, have uninterrupted conversations and live a better quality of life, whilst forming communities of people coping with similar afflictions.
84-year-old Tony suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchitis, and has been part of the Breathless Singers Choir for four years.
He said: "Before joining the choir, I couldn't go up the stairs without stopping or walk and talk at the same time, but I can do that now too. Every morning I wake up, go downstairs, make myself a cup of tea and go back up again.
"In fact, once you get me going you can't stop me. My daughter jokingly said to me the other day, 'I preferred it when you couldn't talk!' So I'm happy to say this National Lottery funding will have a huge impact on people's lives."
SINGING MAY HELP THOSE SUFFERING LONG-COVID
The funding has come at the right time, according to the choir.
According to according to the Office of National Statistics, over one million people are estimated to be suffering with long-COVID in the UK, many of whom count lung and breathing problems as one of the persistent symptoms.
Liv McLennan, Community Musician, Creative Practitioner and Co-Director of Music for Wellbeing CIC said:
"We are just starting to see an influx of people suffering from long-COVID...My message to any long-COVID sufferers living in Salisbury is come along, thanks to National Lottery players, we are ready and waiting!
"Through this project we have seen people get control over their breath, gain confidence and start to enjoy their life again."
422 charities and community groups across the South West have been awarded more than £18.2 million of National Lottery funding throughout 2021 so far.