THEY started with rehearsals in people's lounges but proved themselves a group of singers with staying power.
For 2005 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the start of Marsh Ladies Choir.
The year looks a busy one with concerts and events already in the diary. And you can be sure that at least some will include old friends.
For the choir looks set to use its anniversary year to celebrate the past and look to the future.
Current chairman Pauline McNeil has held that job for four years though she has been a choir member for nearer 33 years. Paul Iredale is the conductor and John S Bailey, their accompanist.
"It started as a Townswomen's Guild choir and may have started out in some members' homes. I think that it was just a group within the Townswomen's Guild who liked to sing and said, shall we have a choir," said Pauline.
It may have begun on a relatively casual basis but the group which evolved into Marsh Ladies Choir proved to be an enduring one. Pauline confirms that though there are perhaps understandably no founder singers still in its ranks, at least one current member, Celia Warner was certainly one of the earliest recruits.
"I'm also still in touch with the original conductor, Mrs Muriel Best, then Muriel Walker, who now lives in Wincanton. She started out as a soprano, then became a contralto and was the choir's first conductor - something of which she is very proud.
"Originally I think there would be about 12 or 15 singers. Now we have 35 members - and I'd like about another 10!"
What better time to try and recruit those extra voices than during an anniversary year?
Pauline, who lives in Edgerton, comes from a family where music seems to have been part of life. "My family all had piano lessons, dancing lessons and in my case, singing lessons. I did O-levels, went off to college and that was that as far as singing was concerned."
Later, once re-settled in Huddersfield and running a busy life with husband Philip and a then young family of Emma and Alex, Pauline felt that there was nevertheless something missing. Music.
With the encouragment of her husband, Pauline quizzed a neighbour who was in Lindley Amateur Operatic Society about possible singing teachers in the area.
"I went to Ann Hoyle in Imperial Road and said that I wanted to see if I still had a voice."
Clearly she had and since Ann was a member of Marsh Ladies, they quickly got themselves a new recruit. Such was Pauline's singing talent that within two or three years, she had also joined Huddersfield Choral Society with whom she sang for 16 years.
But Pauline's involvement with Marsh Ladies never wavered and four years ago, she became chairman.
"We thought that it would be good during our 50th year to contact old members, old conductors and accompanists to tell them that we are alive and kicking and to explain what we are doing during our anniversary year. That led to us deciding to start a Friends of Marsh Ladies."
Plans for the anniversary include concerts , competitions such as the Mrs Sunderland musical festival and social events plus a further link-up with Felling Male Voice Choir, a group of singers from the north-east with whom they have strong twinning-style connections.
The ladies also have a new CD out, Hot Rhythm, Cool Songs which they hope will help promote the choir in this anniversary year.
Financing all of this and keeping the kitty ticking over to pay the week-on-week costs of running the choir poses the same headaches as for every other amateur organsiation.
"We are battling all the time with funding and being able to pay our way. Concert sponsors would be very welcome. Members pay £20 a quarter and that covers some of the cost.
"Conductors and accompanists used to come for the bus fares but, of course, that has changed. And a rehearsal room costs us about £80 a week," said Pauline.
One in-house fundraising idea is the mini-lottery run at every rehearsal. It costs 50p a member.
"It generates about £50 or £60 a month with half the money raised each week going to the winner and the rest going to choir funds.
"We also have coffee mornings and a Christmas fair. We are always looking for fundraising ideas and like to help other charities where we can."
Causes they have helped include the Parkinson's Disease Society, The Stroke Association, Help The Aged and breast cancer charities. Most are chosen because of their relevance to individual choir members.
Pauline hopes that this year, one charity to be supported by the choir will be a summer school run at Highfield.
"I have an autistic grandson who goes on this summer school. It runs for three weeks and costs about £18,000. Parents pay for children to go but they need help with fundraising," said Pauline.
The choir is also keen to lift its own profile. "We've been on a big marketing drive both for members and for work. And it's paid off.
"We've had three extra concerts booked as a result. It's such a thrill. We want people to know that we are still about and that we are not a dying organisation."
Pauline admits that it is not easy, competing for singers and audiences with so many other musical groups in the town.
"The standard is so good these days. We are all striving to look for better standards, that's why we look to do a couple of competitions each year.
"When I joined, we used to do anniversary suppers, choir weekends, harvest festival at churches and old folks' treats. They don't do that now.
"The choir has always competed in festivals and done very well. Thirty-three years ago, we were competing in the classes against other Townswomen's Guild choirs of the day. We were winning things hand over fist.
"Now we are competing against university choirs who are all young people on the road to professional careers."
That said, the ladies are pleased with a recent trip to the North Wales Choral Festival at Llandudno where they won third prize in a class of nine.
February 26: Huddersfield Town Hall, Mrs Sunderland competition
April 9: Church of Latter Day Saints, Birchencliffe, National Association of Choirs' concert.
April 23 and 24: Visit by Felling Male Voice Choir.
May 14: Huddersfield Town Hall, concert with Gledholt Male Voice choir and Brighouse and Rastrick Band.
June 10-12: Dursley, Gloucestershire, Festival of Music.
July 16: Whitley Lower, Parish Church, concert.
October 1: St Paul's, Huddersfield, choir's jubilee charity concert.
October 22: Kendal, for choir's return visit to the K Shoes Male Voice Choir.
December 17: Salendine Nook Baptist Church, Christmas concert
