AN award-winning Runcorn choir is re-locating to a new rehearsal venue and an launched an appeal for new singers.

The Highfield Male Voice Choir - which formed in 1911 - performs up to 15 concerts a year, many in association with local schools.

But membership has fallen to less than 40 singers in recent years and the choir feels it would benefit from an injection of new blood.

After Christmas, the group will move from Trinity Hall in Runcorn to Frodsham Community Centre and hopes to reinvigorate membership by recruiting new singers and an accompanist.

Dating back more than a century and originally closely linked to Runcorn's Highfield and Camden Tannery works, the choir successfully survived the closure of the firm in the 1960s and has since gone from strength to strength.

Overseas choir tours in Malta, Spain and Ireland and concerts in top venues like London's Royal Albert Hall and Glasgow’s City Hall have meant the choir has hit the high notes of success over the years.

The Highfield has won choral competitions at the Llangollen Eisteddfod, Southport Music Festival and numerous other contests and has established a reputation as one of the foremost choirs in the area.

Highfield secretary John Powell explained: "The Highfield owes its roots to industry, rather like the superb colliery brass bands which have survived long after they've lost the support of their original parent company.

"These musical groups have thrived because they offer members a special way of making and sharing music.

"We are one of very few male voice choirs in North West England offering that unique rich tenor and bass vocal sound.

"Friendship is an important factor in the group and many members have been loyal singers for years.

"But we feel that with the dawn of a new decade, it is time to re-invigorate our group with some new blood.

"We don't audition singers and most of our choir members can’t read music – they learn songs by listening.

"Singing with other people always puts a smile on your face and is great exercise for the heart and lungs.

"Potential new members are most welcome to jump straight in, or come and check us out at one of our Christmas concerts."

The Highfield's four Christmas concerts are:

Tuesday, December 3: St John's Church, Norley (7pm)

Thursday, December 5: St John's Church, Alvanley (7pm)

Sunday, December 8: St Berteline's, Norton, Runcorn (2pm)

Tuesday, December 10: St Ambrose Church, Widnes (7pm).

Several of these are combined concerts with local schools.

A further concert is being planned for Frodsham Music Society at Frodsham Community Centre on Friday, April 17.

From January 21, the Highfield will rehearse weekly at Frodsham Community Centre, Fluin Lane, on Tuesday evenings, starting at 7.15pm.

For more information check out the Highfield Choir website https://www.highfieldmvc.co.uk/ or contact John Powell on tel 07514 529995