Rugby intensive care nurse and her NHS colleagues bid for Christmas No.1 - and Sting is a fan

An intensive care nurse from Rugby and nearly 100 of her NHS colleagues from around the country are hoping to score a Christmas number one with their moving version of the Police's 'Every Breath You Take'.

Known as the (Intensive Care Unit) ICU Liberty Singers, the choir began in November as an attempt to bring some fun and respite to ICU workers after a horrendous year.

Choir members meet virtually and include ICU nurses, doctors and allied health professionals who have been working on the frontline of healthcare across the country.

The song, released today, has already received glowing approval from Sting - who appeared on Good Morning Britain yesterday morning to wish the choir good luck.

Rugby resident Helen Fletcher, who works as an ICU nurse at UHCW in Coventry, said the choir has had a profoundly positive effect on staff morale.

She added that she was moved to tears the first time she heard the final recording of the single.

"Through coronavirus work has been incredibly difficult for all of us. The only thing that got us through it was supporting each other," she said.

"When we started the choir it gave us all something to be excited about.

"We meet on Zoom and we don't just talk about the music - we'll talk about mental health and offer support to each other.

"It's given everyone something to talk about - when I come in to work now we're all chatting about the choir.

"It's something different and something positive."

Helen has long had a passion for music, having sung in a church choir and being able to play three instruments - but her vocal chords were damaged when she was struck by Tuberculosis in 2008.

She said: "I hadn't really sung since - I wasn't even able to sing the hymns at my wedding."

But Helen was determined to support the choir and she signed up.

"It was so friendly, there were no auditions, if you wanted to join you were welcomed."

Jackie Shears from NHS Digital heard about the choir and promptly penned a carefully re-worded version of the Police hit ‘Every Breath You Take’ to express the extraordinary contribution of ICU workers across the country this year.

Several contenders for the choir's go at scoring a Christmas number one were considered - but Jackie's song won.

Helen said once the decision was made on the song there was a huge effort to hurry things along.

Sony granted permission for the choir to use the song - and within three weeks the choir had taken remote recordings of all singers, merged them together and had the single ready to launch.

The group are planning to take on Liam Gallagher, Jess Glynne and Robbie Williams in a bid for the top spot.

All money raised will go to create a fund, managed through the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, to provide support for staff that they feel will have a positive impact on their wellbeing and mental health after an extraordinarily impactful year.

You can also contribute to this fund by visiting: bit.ly/2WpjW2PThe song is available to download and stream through all the usual channels.

You can also listen to it on Youtube by visiting: bit.ly/3p4E8D