It’s never too late to launch a singing career as one elderly Homerton artist proved this week with her performance on a charity single.

Ruth Hurlock, 85, of Ballance Road, was one of dozens of elderly vocalists on the single See Yourself which was released on Saturday (June 9).

The single has been produced to raise awareness of the Campaign to End loneliness which has found that more than one million people over the age of 65 are often or always lonely. It aims to challenge negative perceptions of the elderly.

Mrs Hurlock said: “The single is a cross between a pop song and gospel music. I’m a huge fan of classical music so it’s not my usual cup of tea but it was really fun to make! I took part with nine other residents from Anchor Court.”

Although she is not a professional singer, she admitted that she had been passionate about singing since she was a child. “I have always sung in choirs and choral societies and started to sing in Sunday school at the age I was 11.

Age has never been a barrier to the intrepid Mrs Hurlock. While others settle into a comfortable routine as they age, she swapped life in the country in East Anglia for the bright lights of London at the age of 82.

“I just love London”, she said. “I have always loved it’s architecture and it’s diversity.”

She also decided to retrain as a textile designer at the age of 71, completing a three-year BA course in Art and design at Suffolk New College in Ipswich. She got a 2:1 and spends her spare time doing stitching, embroidery and hand-making dolls.

The Yorkshire lass, who was born and bred in the former mill town of Cleckheaton, originally trained to be a physiotherapist.

She said: “I was brought up in a poor community where nobody went to university. My parents were very proud that their daughter was going to have a proper career.

“I started training on the day that World War II finished and finished training on the day the NHS was inaugurated.”

Over 300 people across the country make up the Anchor Community Band and the performed on the single.

All the money from the single will go to charity Contact the Elderly which combats social isolation and loneliness for those over 75.

n. The single is available from iTunes.co.uk and select HMV stores.