Newport man, 90, honoured with lifetime membership of choir he joined 74 years ago

Geoff Porter, who turned 90 just two weeks ago, has recently been presented with Newport Male Voice Choir's Certificate of Honorary Life Membership.

The grandfather-of-four first joined the choir back in 1950, aged 15, when it was first getting off the ground in St Nicholas Church.

"I was just dragged into it I think," Geoff, who lives in Edgmond, recounted. "It was something a lot of lads did back then, there were quite a few people I knew who got into it."

Six years later, he was called up for National Service, but rejoined the choir ten years later and has been a member ever since. 

In the 58 years since, Geoff has toured care homes, churches, clubs and stages around the county – with and without the choir. 

For several years he was part of the town's 'Jackson Jollies' - an amateur dramatics society that kickstarted the career of Dalek-operator and Dad's Army actor Cyril Town.

Geoff said: "You could say I've done quite well with my singing, I used to do the clubs around Stoke and Wolverhampton. I've done a few music festivals and I won quite a few festivals. 

"I won the open at Minsterley [Eisteddfod] in 1969, I won a competition at Oakengates and got to shake hands with Harold Wilson. I haven't done badly."

Clearly, a man who doesn't struggle with commitment, Geoff has also played bowls with Edgmond Bowling Club since 1975.

In part, he credits his busy schedule with his long and healthy life: "It keeps me active. You've got to keep active, keep everything ticking over."