Singing with a choir could be an intimidating prospect for many, but a 140-strong community group in Bristol is hoping to change all that.

People Of Note is an a capella choir – meaning it sings without any instrumental accompaniment. And it has a strict "no audition" policy – if you want to join you can, regardless of your vocal ability.

The group sings everything from traditional British folk songs and music from Africa and Eastern Europe to contemporary pop songs like Tender by recently reformed Britpop group Blur and Shine by Take That.

And with a waiting list of 70 people hoping to join, it seems this unusual philosophy is proving popular.

It all began in 2000 when two former Bristolians, Nick Petts and Nickomo Clarke, formed the choir.

Their approach attracted the likes of Robert Duxbury, who met his current partner while singing with the group.

He spoke to the Post ahead of the group's next performance at the Bristol Acoustic Festival in St George's Hall on Sunday, January 18.

Mr Duxbury, 58, of St Andrew's, said: "People Of Note was formed under the principal of it being an open-access choir. Everybody can sing, especially when you're wedged in among 50 others.

"No one is turned away on the basis they can't sing.

"I moved to Bristol three years ago and had sung for a choir before so the first thing on my list was to locate one.

"I met my partner, Maita Robinson, who has been with the choir for nine years."

The group is so large it meets in two separate groups, one at Subud Hall, Wesley Place, Clifton, on Wednesdays and the other at Southville Methodist Church, in Stackpool Road, Southville, on Tuesdays. Both meetings take place between 7.30pm and 9.30pm, and there is a fee of £65 a term, which goes towards running costs and trips.

The choir holds an annual concert in St George's, and has also sung at Bristol's many festivals.

Often the songs are tailored to the occasion, so for the Organic Food Festival they sang Food, Glorious Food.

The choir also has a smaller group that tours under the name Ponita – People Of Note International Touring Association.

In 2007, they won a bronze medal and a citation recognising the choir's enthusiasm and sense of fun at the ninth international folksong choir contest Europe and its Songs.

The group attracts people from all walks of life, and in the most unusual circumstances.

Niall O'Loingsigh, 29, of Montpelier, said: "I was not a singer but had always wanted to be in a choir.

"I was a metre reader, and I got chatting to someone whose metre I was reading and he said he was with this choir and they were meeting tonight. There was one place left so I joined the day I found out about them. Some people have waited six months."

People Of Note's other distinguishing characteristic is that members are encouraged to wear red and black when they sing.

Member Robin McDowell, 47, of Montpelier, said: "At one time we were allowed to wear red or yellow, almost like Rastafarian colours, but at some point it became red because we had all manner of colours.

"It was like a rainbow coalition, but wasn't aesthetically pleasing."