Robbie Williams fans who work for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust are starring in a karaoke tribute to fellow NHS staff during the pandemic.
Maternity Team colleagues have hit the high notes as they are accorded the honour of being included, from a nationwide entry, in a Live Aid style re-working of the star’s hit Angels to celebrate the ‘Angels’ of the NHS.
The star granted permission for ‘Angels’ to be re-recorded as a thank you to key workers helping the UK through the coronavirus pandemic.
The team joined thousands of other hopefuls in submitting a karaoke-style singalong video for possible editing into one video and were delighted to be successful!
The full video can be seen on this link – with the Maternity Team’s act on at 3.5 minutes from the start.
In a very short period they formed a performing group of maternity colleagues (two metres apart within social distancing guidelines, of course) which included midwives, maternity support workers, consultants and domestic and administration staff. This was all achieved after a busy working day and in everyone’s own time.
Sara-Jane Smith, Riviera Midwifery Team, based in the Women’s Health Unit in Torbay Hospital, is dressed as an angel in the video. She was the driving force behind the instant troupe, helping recruit the team and create the hit entry.
She said: “Every staff member sang their hearts out and we had such a fun time together. It really did raise staff morale and we had such a giggle. That’s really obvious in the video during the instrumental part of the song. We even managed to do it in just one take!
“It was really quite thought-provoking and emotions were running high. If we had been allowed to hug and or have any physical contact with each other we would have.”
The team made a huge colourful banner, dressed as angels and were even joined by a ‘Robbie’ character making a special appearance in the performance.
Sara-Jane added: “Our motivation was simply for staff to come together and to try and put a smile back on everyone’s faces at this difficult time and it worked. We were so pleased when we discovered that out of thousands of entries we had been selected to appear in the video. Perhaps our maternity department should consider a department choir on a regular basis!”
