Loneliness and isolation are problems society was grappling with long before the Coronavirus struck.

Now Slough based artists Abhi Arumbakkam and Nisha Anil are hoping that letting people hear and chat about their favourite songs might help.

Abhi is a documentary film maker and mother of two children aged 17 and 12. She is currently studying documentary for a Masters Degree at Royal Holloway College, Egham while working as a project manager with the Slough based Resource film production company.

Abhi, who lives in Burnham and Nisha Anil, an actor who lives in Slough are long term friends who met up again when they attended a meeting of the Creative Collective - a group of Slough artists who meet regularly.

As the lockdown came into force last month they came up with an idea of a project called Jukebox Telephone Line.

It sounds simple. People ring in to request a song which volunteers play to them through Spotify or YouTube.

The callers can chat to the volunteer and sing along if they so wish to. Abhi and Nisha hope the interactive experience will alleviate isolation to at least a small degree and leave the caller feeling better for the human connection.

The project has recruited several Slough-based volunteers who have a background in performance.

Abhi said: "Of course callers can probably play the song themselves at home but that's not the point. Music can start a conversation about why the caller likes a particular song, it is a human connection.

"When we did it last month one caller was a carer who asked the person they were caring for what they wanted and they said Pretty Woman. They did not know the singer but but they were singing along with it and they knew all the words.

"We will not mind of a caller wants to stay on the line for an hour."

The next session of Jukebox telephone line is today (Friday), Saturday and Sunday this weekend from 4pm to 7pm. Ring 01753 428119.

Call centre charges are charged at normal landline rates and mobile phone rates vary.

The project is funded by Farnham Maltings, a creative arts centre in the heart of the market town of Farnham in Surrey.