A POPULAR choir is heading to Keighley to record its first-ever album.

Voices of Yorkshire will descend on the town's Jam on Top studios on July 9 for the recording session.

And all proceeds from sales of the album will go to the Keighley-based mental health organisation, It's Worth Talking About.

Voices of Yorkshire has around 350 members – ranging in age from 16 to 98.

Founder, Nick Ingram, says: "Voices of Yorkshire is all about bringing people together to have fun singing!

"We don’t expect our members to be professional singers and with this in mind, we don’t use sheet music or conduct auditions.

"Instead we choose songs that everyone loves, from the 1970s to the current day. We sing our own bespoke arrangements in three-part harmony, with our own backing tracks, and have a lot of fun along the way.

"Singing is great for wellbeing and maintaining good mental health, which is why we have aligned with It’s Worth Talking About for this project.

"Lots of members join Voices of Yorkshire as strangers and make lifelong friends at our sessions, performances and social events. We’ve had choir members go on holiday together, walk each other's dogs, look after each other's children – all making positive connections. Along with the singing, that’s what it’s all about."

He said recording an album had been on the choir's 'bucket list' for some time.

"We’re delighted to be finally ticking it off the list!" Nick added.

"We will be recording for nine hours, with each harmony part in the studio for three hours. It’s a big ask of our choir members, singing for three hours non-stop is hard work, but they always rise to the challenge and I know they'll give it everything they’ve got.

"We’re excited to be working with producer Andy Thornton, who is hugely experienced and who we know will help us to achieve something we’re all really proud of."

The album will feature nine songs – including Human, originally by the Killers; From Now On, from The Greatest Showman, and What’s Up, originally by 4 Non Blondes – and is due to go on sale in September.

Voices of Yorkshire currently runs evening sessions in Bingley and Pudsey on Mondays, Skipton and Menston on Tuesdays, Oakworth and Yeadon on Wednesdays and Silsden on Thursdays.

For more details visit facebook.com/voicesofyorkshire, email voicesofyorkshire@gmail.com or call 07947 471851 or 07710 590191.