Portsmouth Breathe Easy group raise cash to continue singing classes

The Portsmouth south branch of Breathe Easy has secured funding to carry on with its singing classes and has adopted the name Heavy Breathers.

Members took part in a pilot project last year funded by British Lung Foundation to be taught how to sing by teacher Janet Ayers.

And now, thanks to their fundraising efforts the group will be able to continue with the lessons for the next year.

Eric Compton, who runs the Breathe Easy Portsmouth South group from Buckland Community Centre, said: ‘We are delighted to have secured the money needed to carry on with the singing classes.

‘It is all thanks to our members who raised the cash needed.

‘They have got really popular since we launched the pilot in October and the members seem to be benefiting from them.

‘We now have about 24 people who meet weekly to sing for Janet and everyone is having a lot of fun.’

The British Lung Foundation started funding the pilot projects as singing can have a range of health benefits.

It can help with breathing and posture and is particularly good for people with lung conditions, like members of the Breathe Easy groups who have asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or other lung diseases.

Eric, 70, who has lung problems himself, added: ‘Not only are the classes a lot of fun and giving people the chance to socialise in a different way but they are also helping with our conditions.

‘Janet is a wonderful teacher and she applauds our singing so I would like to think we are improving.

‘We are doing more complicated songs now we have definitely got better.’

The singing class is for people who have lung conditions and meets every Friday morning at Buckland Community Centre, at 10.30am. They are free to attend.