IS THIS BORIS IN SWAD EUROS VID?
IT CERTAINLY LOOKS LIKE THE PM UNDER BIKE HELMET, DOESN’T IT?
YOU’D think Boris Johnson had enough on his plate running the country without popping over to Swadlincote to make a cameo in a video for an England Euros song.
It definitely looks like the Prime Minister in the film, shot at the Pipeworks retail park in the town.
He would certainly approve as a group of locals are seen waving Union flags while singing England Together, written by Steve Heathcock, to mark the country’s involvement in the forthcoming European Championships football tournament.
But actually it’s not the PM, but Paul Caseman, a friend of Mr Heathcock who lives in Swadlincote and is a lookalike for the Prime Minister. He was the brains behind the video and chose his hometown as the venue. England Together will raise money for the NHS and the Frank Bruno Foundation, which tackles mental health, and the song has been backed by the boxing legend.
The men hope the tune will become England’s anthem for the European Championships, which will be held between June 11 and July 11, having been moved from the summer of 2020 due to the pandemic.
The first match will be between Italy and Turkey at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, with the final being held at Wembley.
Mr Heathcock said: “I love football and the Euros were starting in June and we were all coming out of lockdown.
“I wanted to get celebrities involved and contacted Frank Bruno so will be raising money for the NHS and his foundation.
“Since we put it on Youtube it has been viewed 800 times in just a few days.”
Mr Caseman, whose day job is as a canteen chef at the Argos distribution hub in Barton under Needwood, is a DJ on Burton’s Microbrew Radio, and said he was more than happy to make a cameo and help shoot the video.
He said: “We shot it in The Pipeworks behind Subway as that is more of a private area. It is a great cause and a catchy tune and I thought it needed a decent video.
“It is a bit of fun coming out of lockdown, it is a bit of a laugh for a good cause.”
The song can be downloaded from itunes or Spotify.
Meanwhile, England manager Gareth Southgate and former Scotland striker Joe Jordan have launched giant flag tours of their countries ahead of Euro 2020 to help support grassroots football.
Nationwide, sponsors of the Football Association’s Respect campaign, the England team and Scotland’s Positive Play programme, will donate £1 for each of the first 50,000 fans who sign a flag online, with the money going into a fund for grassroots clubs.
Southgate, who provided the first signature on the England flag, said: “I am delighted we are getting so much support across the country for
the team ahead of the Euros and this giant England flag by our partners Nationwide Building Society is adding to that extraordinary backing of The Three Lions.”
Scotland will be competing at Euro 2020 alongside England for the first time in 25 years.
Jordan, who launched the giant Scotland flag, said: “I’m delighted we eventually got to the finals and I hope they can go a lot further than other teams have in the past.”
Fans can sign up to their country and increase the Nationwide Mutual Respect Grassroots Grant Fund at nationwide-signyoursupport.co.uk