'Hive Aid' release to help fund Mikeysline
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A GROUP of big-hearted musicians from the Highlands have teamed up to record a Christmas single for charity.
More than 30 artists have been brought together by the Teuchter’s Comedy Club and local band Silvercoast to record Christmas-Ness, a move described by the organisers as the Highlands’ very own Live Aid.
The song, which is set to be released today, focuses on Christmas in Inverness and also highlights prominent landmarks spotted on the drive up the A9.
It has been recorded to raise funds for local suicide prevention charity Mikeysline.
Halde Pottinger, the comedy club’s “chief teuchter”, said the Highlands’ high suicide rate was the motivation for the track.
“I am a humanist celebrant and as well as presiding over weddings, I have also done a lot of funerals,” he said.
“Sadly over the last couple of years there have been a few funerals conducted for young people who have taken their own lives.
“I’ve always had an awareness of it being a big problem in the Highlands.
“Seemingly on average someone takes their own life in the Highlands every 10 days.”
“I hope when people hear the song that they hear that the places and things we have mentioned are important to us.
“We hope it makes them smile and resonates with them.
“But we also want them to realise how much time, effort and passion goes into the charity.
“The whole thing is to raise as much money for Mikeysline as we can. We know that the more we raise, the more services they will be able to provide and the more people they will be able to help.”
Stephen Reid, manager of Mikeysline’s Hive drop-in centre, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many people coming together to make a real difference.
“It’s like our own version of Live Aid. We might even call it Hive Aid!
“It’s amazing that all the musicians have got involved.
“There has obviously been a fair bit of negativity over the past couple of weeks so it’s nice that people are doing something positive.
“Halde and the rest of the guys have been brilliant.
“You can tell that he really cares about the things we do.
“The Teuchters Comedy Club deserve nothing but praise for everything they have been putting in recently.”
Christmas-Ness is available to buy online from today and is set to be made available on streaming platforms.
