Choir rises to challenge of encouraging blood donors

AN NHS choir led by Mobo-winning soul singer Lurine Cato is urging people to donate blood as it releases its debut single in the run-up to Christmas.

The NHS B Positive Choir, made up of people living with sickle cell disease, as well as friends and relatives, launched their first track, a rendition of Andra Day’s Rise Up, in a bid to raise awareness of the urgent need for more blood donors.

It comes after the group performed at the Mobo Awards last month alongside Britain’s Got Talent winner Tokio Myers. Cato, who took the best gospel act at the 2013 Mobo Awards and was among the nominees again this year, said the NHS urgently needs 40,000 new black donors to help those with sickle cell disease.

She added: “Sickle cell is more common in black, South Asian and minority ethnic people. Blood from black donors provides the closest match to black people who need blood.”

Choir director Colin Anderson said: “Over the last year 900,000 people have given up their time to help patients in need.

“But we need more new donors. Every day, we need 6,000 donations to continue saving lives. We need life-saving blood from new donors of all backgrounds to provide the closest matches for all communities.

“We are particularly looking for younger people and black communities to come forward.”

Money raised from Rise Up will go to support NHS sickle cell wards.