BRIT rocker Justin Hayward has become the latest in a trio of stars to lend his support to a Highworth charity.

The Moody Blues frontman has this week been revealed as patron of charity Music Alive and joins songwriter Roger Greenaway OBE, and music veteran Tom Bradley.

Charity director Debbie Wolfsohn said: “It is a privilege for us to work with three such acclaimed individuals and we are very grateful to welcome them all to Music Alive.”

The charity, which has been running since 2002, creates opportunities for and with people of all abilities to learn and develop through musical activities.

And it is hoped with the famous musicians’ experience, the charity will be able to inspire more people in the town to pick up an instrument and get involved.

Hayward is famed for his hits such as Nights in White Satin and I Know You’re out there Somewhere.

He was born and bred in Swindon so has first-hand experience of how important music creation is in the area.

The Moody Blues also sold over 45 million records, but aside from the band’s impressive achievements Hayward was part of Jeff Wayne’s spectacular War of the Worlds for which he wrote and performed Forever Autumn.

His work has been honoured many times over the years with This Is Your Life dedicating a show to him.

ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) also presented him with one of their highest honours, the Golden Note. While he received the Ivor Novello outstanding achievement award and The Moody Blues are on the rock walk hall of fame on Sunset Boulevard.

Meanwhile Greenaway was born and bred in Bristol where he started his first band, vocal harmony group The Kestrels. Together with fellow Bristolian, Roger Cook, he wrote I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing, You’ve Got Your Troubles and Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart.

He has spent the last part of his career protecting the rights of songwriters as chairman and executive vice president of PRS and ASCAP respectively. In 1998 he was awarded an OBE for his services to the music industry.

Bradley, was born in Wiltshire and played the Swindon music circuit with his band Trig and the Sapphires.

This led him to the bright lights of London where he started work for another Wiltshire luminary, the late Sir George Martin at George’s Air Studios.

Trig soon become a well respected part of the music industry and went on to work for labels such as A&M Records, Magnet Records, Rondor Music, EMI Music, MCPS and CLA.

Bradley has also held chairman positions with MPA (Music Publishers Association), CLA (Copyright Licensing Agency) and MCPS (Mechanical Copyright Protection Society). In 2010 he received a Gold Badge from BASCA, one of the music industry’s highest honours.

Debbie added: “It’s great to be associated with people from the local area who have made such exciting musical achievements.

“We are hoping people will believe that Music Alive can have that same effect.

“We are delighted they have come onboard and it’s about having the access to someone of that level of achievement to talk to.

“We hope their knowledge is going to rub off on us.”