What a privilege to be invited to a preview in Covent Garden of the Military Wives film.
The film was superbly cast and in my opinion really captured the life and emotions of those left behind.
As a 'military mum' myself I'm slightly removed from life on camp. Before I'd seen the TV series and joined the Choir I had no idea what military wives went through with the constant house moving, sorting schools and work or, generally, just finding your way around a new area and where best to get groceries, find a dentist and, most importantly, a hairdresser! These are the things people who don't move that often take for granted.
What I could totally connect with was the inner anxiety of being on my own and having my only child away at war in Afghanistan for 7 months! He may have been 29 but it had been just the two of us since his Dad died when he was 12.
He was always independent and a warrior at heart, so there were no apron-strings to sever but the dread in the pit of my stomach that there'd be a knock on the door one day with the worst possible news was real and, as we all do, suppressed, like you can't breathe freely until they're arriving on those big white buses that took them away to war.
The film is a must see - just don't forget tissues! It reminds us of the fun times and sad times, the joy and the sorrow of living a life connected to the military and being in the Choir. The determination and hard work put in for the benefit of all by those who struggle to learn words and mostly don't read music (and how many times have we gone over and over songs on the coach travelling up to London until we know its as good as it can be!)
However, the bond that keeps us is that through singing we can be there for each other because Together We Are Stronger and the legacy lives on through the vision and determination of those who started it all - Don't forget to watch to the very end!
The film is out on 6th March.
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