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.

Ms Gedye 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 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.

At the Richmond concert, Sounds of Summer, the choir will perform a full repertoire of popular music, joined by the Richmond School and Sixth Form College Concert Band.

Ms Gedye said: “When I asked back then if there was anything I could ever do to help the lovely ladies on the Garrison, I didn’t how much those words would change my life. What a journey, and a life-enriching experience it has been!”

The concert is on Saturday, July 6 at 7.30pm. Tickets cost£13 and are available from the Box Office on 01748 825252 or via the online booking service at: www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk.