Inspired by dad: how soprano Laura Wright's helping Suffolk stroke patients

You can watch Natalie Gray's piece about Laura Wright and the stroke patients here.

The famous soprano Laura Wright has been giving singing lessons to stroke survivors in her home county of Suffolk.

Among the people at the session was her dad, Paul, who had a stroke five years ago. 

Laura, who's a familiar figure at sporting events worldwide, says singing can be a powerful therapy.

She's performed at the Rugby World Cup, the British Grand Prix and for the Queen.

But Laura Wright's in a village hall in Great Barton in Suffolk to raise the spirits of stroke survivors.

This is the Second Chances Stroke Group and in the front row is her proud dad, Paul.

Laura says it's been tough for her family but there's been help from the Stroke Association.

Laura's known the world over for performing at sporting events.

Now she wants to help others like her dad.

Every five minutes someone in the UK will have a stroke and it changes lives in an instant.

Laura's visit coincided with a sobering survey by the Stroke Association which shows a third of stroke survivor under the age of sixty lost their job due to their stroke, while one in ten lost their homes.

And it's that hope that helped Anne-Marie when she found herself very ill in hospital.

'My ultimate goal at that time was to get to my son's graduation at Canterbury Cathedral and after much fighting with the consultant I managed to get there.'  

For Colin this support group has been vital.

'It's good to see people in similar positions and you can talk to them quite freely . They understand what you're on about. Yeah it was good, good, yeah.'

All of the survivors and their families have had to adjust to a new normal. And that includes Laura who grew up in Framlingham in Suffolk.

Her message is an uplifting one - singing will often make you feel better.