Military wives sing birthday message for Major Tim Peake

The ladies sent a performance of Wherever You Are, the number one hit for the national Military Wives Choir, to British astronaut Tim Peake on the International Space Station as a gift on his birthday.

The women, inspired by Major Tim’s space adventure as the first British European Space Agency astronaut, even made a cardboard cutout of him, dubbed ‘Flat Tim’, and it made a star appearance at the choir’s rehearsal this month.

The group sent Tim a video of the message through Twitter, wishing the former Army Air Corps officer a happy birthday.

But due to the limitations of the internet aboard the International Space Centre, Tim was unable to watch the video from space. That was until one of members of the choir contacted Tim’s sister, who kindly passed on the video to the ESA.

Much to the ladies’ delight, while orbiting the earth every 90 minutes, Tim replied to the post on Twitter saying ‘Many thanks for the wonderful birthday song – I got to listen to it in space’.

The women were over the moon with his response, ecstatic at the fact their performance was ‘out of this world’.

Sam Mundell, from Gosport, the member of the choir who organised the ‘Flat Tim’ visit said: ‘I was at home when I found out and pretty much screamed out loud.

‘As military wives, partners, mums and veterans we know how hard it is being away from loved ones and we thought he would appreciate it as he’s a veteran too.’

Lynne Vinton, who is also a member of the choir, revealed her delight on the space-breaking news.

She said: ‘Oh my word, our voices have been heard in space.

‘It’s incredible to think that a recording of our little choir singing Wherever You Are was sent to the ISS by Nasa for Major Peake.

‘I think I can safely say that we are the first Military Wives Choir to have been listened to outside of our planet.’

Tim, from Westbourne, is the second astronaut to bear a British flag patch, the sixth person born in the United Kingdom to go on-board the International Space Station and the seventh UK-born person in space.