Leighton Buzzard soprano prepares to lift spirits at Bletchley Park with her popular RAF show

Leighton Buzzard soprano Fiona Harrison will be getting crowds in the swing this month as Bletchley Park hosts its summer concert series.

This year, the costume artist will be performing her RAF show ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right’, at the visitor attraction in Milton Keynes. Fiona will be donning a full 1940s Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) uniform to showcase a variety of sing-along and jazzy swing favourites from the 1930s, 40s and 50s. She’s also promising a few post-modern musical surprises to set visitors toes tapping.

Famous for allied code breaking during the Second World War, Bletchley Park hosts a number of events throughout the year. Last Saturday saw the start of the concert series which will be running every Saturday afternoon through August.

Fiona said: “I’m super exited to be returning for the concert series. “I always like to do something different and it’s a great honour to be chosen. I opened with my We’ll Meet Again Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) show in 2001.

“Last year I performed in Women’s Royal Navy Service uniform and this year it’s the turn of the WAAF as my show takes on a musical aeronautical flavour.

“It’s incredible to think that in 1945 there were 1,096 WAAF working on site, 2594 WRNS, 408 ATS, and 2,660 civilian female personnel. Music is an amazing medium, and it’s a beautiful way of paying tribute to their war time fortitude and diligence.”

Fiona’s Bletchley Park concert begins at noon and will be including Hollywood classics, to Operatic gems, concluding with a grand “Last Night of the Proms” finale.

In June, Fiona sang for Leighton Buzzard’ s Food Festival songs from around the world before sailing over to France to perform for the D-Day Commemorations.

“I first performed in Normandy in 2004 for the 60th and, excluding the pandemic years, I’ve been lucky enough to perform there every year since. I’m honoured to be returning for the 80th and I’m already planning some fabulous new musical arrangements for the occasion inspired by the film The Longest Day.”