‘Coronation Street’ star Cherylee Houston has launched a new choir to help people with mental health problems.
The 42-year-old actress – who portrays Izzy Armstrong in the ITV soap – has teamed up with former co-star Melissa Johns (Imogen Pascoe) to establish The Manchester Mental Health Choir.
Cherylee told ITV News: "I love marrying creativity with making a change for people in their personal lives. It’s quite a personal mission of mine, because I think I’ve discovered it a lot through my career in a way.
"Then you don’t have to do the explanation underneath. You can say something and it’s a shortcut, so everybody in the room will understand where you’re coming from."
The ‘Corrie’ pair have teamed up with Dan McDwyer, musical director of the Parrs Wood High School choir – who performed alongside Ariana Grande at the One Love Manchester concert – on the project.
He added: "Working with lots of choirs in Manchester and teaching singing, you come across a lot of people who do struggle with mental health difficulties, and you see first person how singing does make a big difference.
"I’ve worked with lots of people individually who can be quite anxious and find it quite hard to speak but in singing lessons come out of their shell and really enjoy singing."
Cherylee joined the ITV soap in 2010 after previously appearing in ‘Doctors’, ‘Emmerdale’, ‘Holby City’ and ‘Little Britain’.
She has used a wheelchair since being diagnosed with rare connective tissue disorder Ehlers-Danlos syndrome aged 23, and made history by becoming Corrie’s first disabled actress when she landed the part of machinist Izzy.
Cherylee Houston launches mental health choir
