NEWS

NHS Voices Release 'With A Little Help From My Friends' Today

NHS Staff Target Second No.1 Single Featuring A Plethora Of Amazing Artists 

With Production From US Superstar Timbaland

Today NHS Voices release 'With A Little Help From My Friends', a charity single that brings together superstar singers and healthcare heroes to mark the 70th birthday of the NHS.

A team of NHS staff organised the release featuring the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir which is made up of children’s doctors, physiotherapists, IT experts, midwives and more. They recorded the track at the legendary Abbey Road Studios alongside an incredible line up of musical talent.

Seal, Guy Garvey, Myleene Klass, Nile Rodgers, Louisa, Danny Jones, Beverley Knight, Engelbert Humperdinck, Reef, HRVY, Marina and the Diamonds, Una Healy, Alexandra Burke, Rick Astley, Squeeze, Gabrielle, Tom Smith from Editors, Tony Hadley, UB40, Blue are just a few of the amazing names who have generously given their time and energy to help sing on this incredible NHS milestone.

At the helm have been Brit Award-winning, Grammy nominated producer Jon Cohen and US superstar Timbaland creating a cover of the classic Beatles song.

Watch the video here:

https://ql.mediasilo.com/#ql/5b3cd867e4b0e74e47ba28cf/b076fef8-831a-42b5-b520-17f986d07c1a

The project was started by Joe Blunden, an NHS communications professional, and children’s Dr Katie Rogerson. Choir leader and children’s community physiotherapist, Caroline Smith, has also been instrumental in getting the project off the ground.

The record has been spearheaded by ordinary NHS staff, amazingly in their our own time in addition to their day jobs. Their tireless work saw them organise the recording of the song. From convincing ITV to make a documentary, to recruiting artists and booking studios, alongside orchestrating the publicity, they have hand a hand in it all. 

The team have form too! In 2015 they successfully campaigned to get the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir to the much coveted Christmas No.1 spot, beating (a very gracious) Justin Bieber.

The driving force behind this record is the current pressures on the NHS. . Joe and Katie want staff to know how much they are loved; both by celebrities, and the general public. Katie knows how much this record will do for morale. Joe works with NHS staff all over England, and see how hard they work, and how much they deserve a lift.

The track deliberately represents seventy years of music, to reflect seventy years of the NHS. Featuring artists from Englebert to HRVY, there is something for everyone, just like the NHS has something for everyone.

Joe said: “We see how hard NHS staff work every single day, and wanted to create something that would show them all just how appreciated they are. Everyone involved has been so generous with their time, and their talent, and we can’t thank them enough.” 

Dr Katie adds: “Joe and I wanted to think of a way to include everyone who is touched by the NHS in a huge celebration. What better way than a Band Aid-style song. This is our way to nod to the past seven decades of love, care and the best of British, standing hand in hand with 1.3 million fantastic staff to say ‘happy birthday NHS’.”

Caroline Smith said: “It is so exciting to be working on a project that celebrates the NHS on this incredible anniversary. Recording with other NHS staff from around the UK - in such a special setting as Abbey Road - has been a real honour. The fact so many amazing musical heroes of ours gave up their time speaks volumes about how highly they regard the NHS and its staff.”

All proceeds from the release will go to NHS Charities Together, a group of more than 130 NHS charities that have come together to celebrate the 70^th birthday of the NHS and raise awareness of the work they do to support patients, staff and community initiatives. 

NHS Voices features:

•  Alexandra Burke
•  Ali Campbell and Astro from UB40
• Aston Merrygold
• Beverley Knight
• Blue
• Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook, Simon Hanson from Squeeze
• Coleen Nolan
• Danny Jones
• Dennis Greaves, Mark Feltham and Ben Willis from Nine Below Zero
• Engelbert Humperdinck
• Gabrielle
• Gary Stringer from Reef
• Guy Garvey
• HRVY
• Jack and Tim, Britain’s Got Talent
• Louisa Johnson
• Marina and the Diamonds
• Mark King
• Myleene Klass
• Nile Rodgers
• Rick Astley
• Seal
• Tom Smith from Editors
• Tony Hadley
• Una Healy

Website www.nhsvoices.com

Twitter @NHSVoices

Facebook: nhsvoices

Instagram: nhsvoices

NHS Charities Together: www.nhsbig7tea.co.uk

#NHSVoices / #NHS70 / #NHSCharities