In pictures: Group celebrates 50 golden years of harmonious singing, laughter and friendship

The Pitchpipers were joined by many former members to mark the milestone at Christ Church Hall, Portsmouth, On March 31.

The late Marilyn Penketh founded the ladies chorus in her Hayling Island lounge in 1976. She was also a key figure in the start of LABBS (the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers) in the same year. Marilyn passed away during Covid and the chorus has kept going and grown in her memory.

Musical director Robin Hall said: “Fifty years is a long time but in that time we’ve been about being a super friendly group of women who come together to sing. We have around 25 members but there are a lot of former members (who attended the anniversary).

"We sing all kinds of music...songs that you know and songs you’ve never heard of. We sing them unaccompanied in harmony together and just have a great time.”

A social media post from the group added: “Wow what an evening we all had celebrating our 50th Birthday. It was a pleasure to have the company of many ex-Pitchpipers. Thank you to the LABBS chair Jill Cook for also joining us. Also Marilyn Penkeths daughters Tony-Ann and Karen, thank you for celebrating with us and recognising that your mums legacy is still going strong. Here’s to another 50 years.”