Gareth Malone

[Sparklingbrook]

Oh no. Just channel hopping and realised lovely Gareth Malone is doing his 'choir' thing again-and I have missed the first half. I didn't even know it was on.

Count me in for a download on December 19th!

Can't wait to have a truly brilliant Christmas number 1 for a change

Just had an update email through:

Decca Records intend to release a single of ?Wherever You Are? as both a physical version and a digital download. The proceeds will go to two charities ? SSAFA Forces Help and TRBL. They have been chosen by the wives themselves as the charities that they want to support.

It is likely that the single will be officially launched on 1 December and go on sale on 19 December. The later date reflects the aspiration to make it the Christmas Number 1...

I am really pleased with the charities they have chosen. Both are tri-service, help veterans of all conflicts and currently serving personnel, and both have networks of caseworkers who help individuals and families. I really, really hope this does well.

Music is for sale, if you want to sing it at home.

I have linked to it twice on facebook.
A lot of my F'book friends are forces wives like me.

Have you seen this? (apologies for DM link and for any duplication).

Lovely Gareth Malone. Lovely grafting stoic military wives and partners. I would buy this just to show how much I am in awe of our military and those supporting them and for the lovely music and words.

Hi everyone. Please forgive me for posting in here but I thought it might be interesting for you to get an insider's perspective on the Military Wives record.
I'm the producer of the record and this has been the most inspiring and wonderful project I've ever worked on. The day the ladies came in to record was just wonderful from start to finish and also extremely emotional. It's one thing for a song to have nice lyrics, but for them to be so personal and connected to those singing in such a profound way is very unusual.

The choir were such a total joy to work with. No egos or nonsense, just a real love of what they were doing and of the whole experience and what's more - they sounded WONDERFUL! I felt sad when the day was over and they had to head off home as I would have liked to spend some time getting to know them better.

The way that the public have reacted to all this is a reflection of the genuine sincerity with which this has been conceived and performed. There is nothing manufactured or contrived here and the public know it.

So please, if you feel touched by this, spread the word. Get everyone you know to buy a copy of this beautiful moving song when it comes out.
This will provide money for two wonderful military charities (both of whom make a real difference to the lives of servicemen and women and their families) rather than just putting more in Simon Cowell's pocket. It will also show a recognition of that fact that the heroes of war are not just our brave men, but also the amazing, stoic women who stand by them.

We're spreading JC!

Excellent! Thanks Bucharest!

Thanks for posting JC! Wonderful to know all that. I can't wait to hear the recorded version, will Chris Evans get to play it first? I need to know when it's on so I can have my tissues ready!

Chris Evans is playing the recorded version every day on his morning show. You can hear it already on iPlayer if you listen to his shows from earlier this week.
Have your tissues ready though- the girls sound AMAZING.

Good to hear from you, JC, and to hear about the recording. Were there cameras from BBC there? It would be great if they would do a Xmas special, with a follow up of all that has happened so far. (hint hint)

What a lovely post JC - milwives are tweeting to tell everyone to come and read what you wrote

What inspiring music and something we all agree on.
Gareth Malone and all his choirs totally rock.

I'm glad everyone feels the same. I wonder what would have happened if this thread went in AIBU. Something like AIBU to think that Gareth Malone is fabulous?

Oh JC, we are with you ALL THE WAY!!!!!!! Utterly hooked on the programme and in awe of what they have achieved as a choir. The song is utterly amazing, and stands on its own as a triumph. But it also represents their progress and hard work and sheer guts, the song oozes with their feelings, their ups their downs and is, as you say, just so personal and touching.

I am not a military wife, but I could have been - DH had a career choice and he went down a different path, so I've never known much about the life. However, now I really feel I have some (small) understanding of what it is like for these ladies, what it might have been like for me and I really have all respect.

We settle for nothing less than defeating X Factor tossers the Christmas Number One! Never more deserved.

I agree with all the sentiments expressed here. I've never bought an xmas single, but I'll find out this time, that's for sure.

To all you Gareth Malone fans, note that there's a programme on next week returning to South Oxhey, where he "taught a town to sing" - Monday 28th November BBC2 9pm www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b017yxhd. Hankies ready!

Ooh thank you reshetima. Will get my Gareth 'fix' on Monday after all!

Oh have just watched the 3 episodes and sobbed throughout and I don't generally cry at stuff.

Well done to everyone involved and oh I wish I could sing and not just so I culd join a choir with Gareth as choirmaster.

I caught up with these too Mrs C-B, such a lovely man (boy?) he is wonderful & the Ladies are amazing.

JC are they going to do an album?

I watched all three episodes back to back as well (whilst working, I hasten to add!), and had to pretend to my neighbour that my runny nose and streaming eyes were because I had a cold, when he knocked on the door to talk about his loft extension! I have never been so emotionally bound up in a documentary and am full of admiration for all the gutsy, vulnerable and truly fabulous milwives. Gareth's enthusiasm and dedication are so inspiring, and he even made ME believe I could sing. Loved the 'Gareth's Girls' tribute song. My favourite Gareth dress-up outfit is the long woolly cardi, although the bow tie ensemble is a close second.

I echo Mrs CB - truly well done to all involved and thanks to JC for the inside info.

Hi all.
There were cameras there on the day so who knows, we might be treated to a follow up episode at some point.
As for an album, I guess if there's enough public demand, Decca may go for that. (I certainly hope they do as I'd LOVE to do a whole record with the choir.)
Thank you all for your support of the choir. I know that every word means the world to them.

JC how do we bring enough public pressure to Decca's attention? For the choir and for you too -you sound lovely

Gareth just tweeted this:

Gareth Malone
Thanks to all the Mumsnetters who are supporting #MWC4Xno1 #girlpower #womanpower #mumpower fb.me/FbwIiw89
3 hours ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply