Brightening up Blue Monday: Rail employees release rendition of 'Lean on Me' to raise funds for Railway Children charity.
A film of the choral flash mob captured the public’s imagination, generating an estimated four million views across multiple social media channels, with members of the public and celebrities, including Stephen Fry, giving it a ringing endorsement.
The decision to record the song was made following numerous requests across social media, with the team behind the project choosing to release the feel-good song on Blue Monday, aiming to do their bit to cheer the country up on what is traditionally the most depressing day of the year.
The Voices for Railway Children choir was organised by the charity Railway Children, sponsored by Southeastern and produced by James Hawkins, the man behind Britain’s Got Talent’s Missing People Choir.
The group is made up of singers from Southeastern railway colleagues and staff from the Railway Children charity, supported by other members of the railway family including Network Rail, Transport for London, the Rail Delivery Group, British Transport Police, GB Railfreight, East Midlands Trains, Virgin Trains, Go Ahead Group, Rock Rail, Hitachi, Bechtel and Mindtree.
Music producer James Hawkins said, “Everyone who has been touched by this project – whether singers, travellers or social media viewers – have been uplifted by it. When you hear our railway singers reaching in song to cheer up those in their care, you can’t help but smile. We hope that everyone will get behind the release and help us bring a bit of cheer to blue Monday.”
David Statham, Managing Director of Southeastern said: “The talent of our colleagues at Southeastern never ceases to amaze me. Nevertheless, to see our cover of Lean On Me go viral – quite unexpectedly – is incredibly heart-warming. I am hugely proud of everyone from the wider railway family who took part in this, and I hope the brilliant single brings further well deserved success to our industry Charity, Railway Children.”
Katie Mason, Events Manager at Railway Children said: “We were totally overwhelmed by the amazing response to our flash mob which has helped raise awareness of the work we are doing across the UK immensely. It was such great fun to be part of and quite emotional for everyone involved so when we were asked to record it, we jumped at the chance. It’s just lovely to see the whole rail community coming together like this for something so positive and uplifting. Next stop number one!”
‘Lean On Me’ by Voices for Railway Children is available to download on iTunes now with all profits going to the charity.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/lean-on-me-single/1449514643
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Notes to editors
NOTES TO EDITOR
To view photos and passenger response to the fundraising activity please search the hashtag: #RCflashmob
For further information contact:
James Hawkins Music
Tel: 07970 002142 (24-hours)
Email: jhm.bandsandbrands@gmail.com
Website: www.jameshawkinsmusic.com
About Southeastern:
Southeastern runs train services into London from Kent and East Sussex, operating over 2000 trains a day, carrying more than 640,000 passengers a day, serving 176 stations and covering 540-miles of railway infrastructure.
Southeastern is owned by Govia, a joint venture between the Go-Ahead Group (65 per cent) and Keolis (35 per cent).
Govia is the most enduring partnership between transport operators delivering rail franchises in this country.
It is the UK’s busiest rail operator, responsible for 28.7 per cent of UK passenger rail journeys through its four rail companies, Southern, Southeastern, Govia Thameslink Railway and London Midland Further information on Govia is available at: www.govia.info
Go-Ahead Group plc is one of the UK's leading providers of passenger transport services operating in the bus, rail and aviation services sectors.
Keolis is a French-based operator of transport services in 13 countries worldwide and is owned by SNCF, AXA Private Equity, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, and Keolis management.
About Railway Children:
Railway Children is a leading children’s charity fighting for vulnerable children and young people who run away or are forced to leave home where they suffer poverty, violence, abuse and neglect. In the UK, society often denies their existence, and in other countries the problem is so prevalent that it has become ‘normal’. They find themselves spending more and more time on the streets because there is nowhere else to go and no one left to turn to. The problems they face on the streets, where they risk abuse and exploitation, are often even worse than those they endured at home. Every day we fight to change their story.
Railway Children race to reach children as soon as they arrive on the streets and intervene before an abuser can. Our pioneering work in the UK, India and East Africa enables us to get to street children before the streets get to them. To find out more about the Railway Children at http://www.railwaychildren.org.uk
About James Hawkins Music
James Hawkins Music is a creative music agency which specialises in delivering compelling music projects with purpose. They understand that music is marketing and offers the most powerful way to reach out to your audience. James Hawkins Music are proud to have worked with The Missing People Choir (BGT Finalists 2017), The London Hospices Choir and Paul Carrack, Rick Astley, Carol Decker, Kerry Ellis, Nik Kershaw, Jodie Prenger, Lesley Garrett, Hayley Tamaddon, G4, ESPN, ITV, BBC, Channel 5, Heart FM, The Military Wives, Rock Choir, The Games Maker Choir, The Rockabellas, Invictus Choir and Disney.
