B Positive Choir now in it’s fourth year, is a choir whose members come from the community of people with Sickle Cell genetic disorder, their families, friends & supporters and blood donors. Initially set up by NHS Blood and Transplant in partnership with Kanye King and The MOBO Awards the choir was set up to raise awareness of the impact of having the sickle cell condition and the need for more people from our Black communities to become regular blood donors.
Their first major performance was live at the 2017 MOBO awards ceremony in Leeds performing the cover version of the song ‘Rise Up’ featuring the ultimate-award winning Lurine Cate MBE. Having released the song as a single that same year the choir followed by entering Britain’s Got Talent and were the first ever choir to successfully make it through to the finals in 2018. Performing their clarion call and now signature tune Rise Up, got rave response not just from the audiences but also the judges alike; “inspirational” said Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell recognised their “rapturous performance” after singing ‘This Is Me’ from The Greatest Showman.
B Positive Choir have gone on to perform across the country at many charitable events from local blood donation & sickle cell awareness events to major foundations including The Duke of Sussex Prince Harry’s Sentebale Charity at Hampton Court. Having been requested to sing at the 2019 Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey the choir have gone on to sing internationally in countries such as USA – Boston Massachusetts, Las Vegas and Denmark – Copenhagen. Throughout the pandemic it was “challenging maintaining the closeness, support and inspiration through the traditional ways of choir- singing” says Coin Anderson their inspirational Choir Master. We were all in different places not just physically but also emotionally and our health & wellbeing”. Somehow we have managed to remain together and was chosen to sing the traditional song ‘Abide With Me’ at The Emirates Cup Final at Wembley stadium this year.
Though now an independent outfit, The Choir continues to support the NHS in it’s tireless efforts to “Save and Improve Lives”. B Positive is an amalgam of singers in three regions: The North, led by Vocal Instructor/Coach, Zena Taylor; The Midlands led by Vocal Tutor and coach Conrad Gayle; and London led by Choral Director Colin Anderson. All three regions rehearse separately in Manchester, Walsall and central London respectively and come together as a mass choir to deliver the various engagements and projects. B Positive Choir have made several TV and radio appearances on all the major channels and franchises including BBC, ITV, Sky and Chanel 4.
The Song “Hallelujah Christmas Time”
It was from their performance in Wembley that the songwriter Paul Hobbs decided he wanted the beautiful harmonies and sound of B Positive Choir to sing his newly written song Hallelujah Christmas Time. Needing the NHS to save his life through heart bypass and a fitted stent, Paul’s health journey resonated with many of the choir members experiences, and he approached Colin Anderson to arrange the song for a choir. He wanted the song to express the caring & sharing and festive community spirit to be richly expressed through the not just the song itself but also through the life experience of others whose lives had been touched by the thoughts and selfless giving of others.
The Video “Hallelujah Christmas Time”
The visual narrative expresses the choir’s sentiments of the song and the season. It was recorded at St. Michael’s Church in Battersea, London, by kind permission of The Vicar and congregation. At the beginning of December the Choir prepared a Christmas lunch inviting friends and the community. Filming this we thought would be a fitting way of sharing a video message of gifts, decorations, hugs & well wishes of family & friends – the warmest way of sharing the message of love that is Christ at Christmas.
Songwriter: Paul Hobbs
©2021 Leopard Music Limited (Music Publishing)
Paul Hobbs, aged 72, has written several songs over many years and been acclaimed for raising the best part of a million pounds over 26 years through his charity work capped by becoming the first ever person to walk a marathon on a British pier back in August 2021 on Weston Super Mare Grand Pier “One of my life ambitions to write a popular Christmas song, Hallelujah Christmas Time hit all the right tones of a winner and when I watched B Positive perform at Wembley before the cup final I knew they were made for the song and also very much wanted to continue my charity journey by raising money for their chosen charities Sickle Cell Society and ACLT and hope many give it their support. It has been a privilege and a pleasure being connected through my song to this wonderful talented choir and great group of people”.
Support
All proceeds from the sales of Hallelujah Christmas Time will be going to 2 charities that work tirelessly to raise awareness of the genetic disorder Sickle Cell and the need for regular blood and organ donations, especially from our diverse ethnic communities:
• ACLT – co-founders Beverly De-Gale OBE and Orin Lewis OBE • Sickle Cell Society – led by Chief Executive John James OBE
Their consistent campaigning in the heart of the community has directly impacted the lives of several people up and down the country as well as internationally.
Contact Details
B Positive Choir website: https://www.bpositivechoir.org.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BpositiveChoirOfficial
Twitter @bpositivechoir
Contact Choir Email: events@bpositivechoir.org.uk
Choir Directors email: bpcmdirectors@bpositivechoir.org.uk
Sickle Cell Society website: https://www.sicklecellsociety.org
ACLT website: https://aclt.org