Hospice singers ‘stand together’ to record Choirs with Purpose charity CD

Rehearsal time for Springhill Hospice Rochdale and Dr Kershaw’s Hospice Oldham

Springhill Hospice is about to host the recording of a charity CD that has the backing of Sir Paul McCartney.

Around 140 staff, volunteers and friends from the newly formed UK Hospices Choir will be coming to Rochdale from across the North West on Saturday 2 September to record two tracks for the charity album 'Stand Together', by Choirs with Purpose, due for release in December.

The charity fundraising album will be a compilation of uplifting cover songs by ten significant choirs who sing for an important reason – to share their personal messages of hope, and the power of community. All of the choirs will record with a well-known artist who is backing their cause.

The UK Hospices Choir – made up of over 600 singers from hospices across the UK - will join other ‘choirs with purpose’ including the Missing People Choir, Britain’s Got Talent Finalists in 2017 together with the Parrs Wood High School Choir who sang with Ariana Grande at One Love Manchester and the Greenwich and Lewisham NHS Choir, who hit the Christmas number one spot in the singles chart two years ago.

Sir Paul McCartney has given his blessing to re-record his classic song ‘We All Stand Together’ as the album’s Christmas release, bringing together all the participating choirs on one epic single.

Chosen as a ‘big song for a big choir’ the UK Hospices Choir will also record their own track on the CD – ‘My Heart Will Go On’, made famous by Celine Dion and soundtrack to the blockbuster movie Titanic. Because of the size of the choir, songs will be recorded in ‘hubs’ across the country, including Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, London and Manchester.

James Hawkins, producer of Stand Together said, “We all Stand together’ is the perfect song to bring together all the different choirs featuring on the album. The message ‘one thing is certain we will never give in’ resonates with every group, and we are so excited to be bringing this classic song to a whole new generation.”

Springhill Hospice Chief Executive, Julie Halliwell said, “We are so excited to be taking part in this important project but also hosting the recording of participating choirs in the Manchester region.

"It highlights the importance of the hospice movement and end of life care, and also brings people together from across the UK to ‘stand together’ and sing for good.

"We hope that everyone will get behind it, pre-order the album online now, and get this important message of collaboration to number one this Christmas.”

Other choirs featuring on the album include the Games Maker Choir, Maggie’s Cancer Centre (West London) Choir, Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation Choir for Drug Awareness, Homelink Carers Choir and the Anstee Bridge Choir.

All UK pledgers who sign up for the album have the chance to be part of a ‘Pop-up’ Choir and record their vocals on the single.

The Choir with Purpose album will be released on 15 December 2017 and is available for pre-order now via pledgemusic.com/choirswithpurpose.

All profits from the sales of the album will be divided equally between the ten choirs involved, or their nominated charities.