THE musical phenomenon that is the Military WAGS Choir will say farewell to its long-standing musical director at a special concert held at Richmond’s Georgian Theatre Royal.

Carol Gedye, who has led the choir since its formation in 2010, is relinquishing this role as she retires to spend more time with her family.

Carol was instrumental in setting up the choir to create a much-needed distraction for women in the military community at the height of the war in Afghanistan. Since then, it has gone from strength to strength and has performed at a huge variety of occasions, from small local gatherings to national events that have drawn crowds of several thousand.

The choir has also been a huge welfare success. The regular rehearsals providing an opportunity for wives, girlfriends and service women to come together, support each other and have fun.

The Catterick group was the first of dozens of other military wives singing groups across the country. The Military Wives sparked a number one album and hit television series.

At the Richmond Sounds of Summer concert on Saturday, July 6 at 7.30pm, the choir will perform a full repertoire of popular music that showcases their singing and harmonies. They will be joined by the Richmond School and Sixth Form College Concert Band, who have recently returned from a concert tour in the Rhineland, Germany.

Carol said: “When I asked back then 'If there is anything I could ever do to help you lovely ladies on the Garrison, please ask' I didn’t how much those words would change my life. What a journey, and a life-enriching experience it has been.”

Kay Broomhead will be taking over as musical director of WAGS, working alongside the choir’s current accompanist, Brett Overin.

Tickets for the concert cost £13 and are available from the Box Office on 01748 825252 or via the online booking service at www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk