THE organisers of Barnsley’s largest music festival have created a charity single to help raise money for the hospice.

The artists created a cover of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ and ‘What a Wonderful World’ to help thank staff at Barnsley Hospice for their hard work during the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 20 musicians from the Barnsley Live Collective helped to create the single which was created virtually from the performers’ homes.

Matthew Townsend, 29 is a professional musician and teacher who played ukulele and drums on the track. He said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed creating this video and it was a great opportunity to bring the musicians of Barnsley together for a virtual performance.

“It has been a fun challenge putting all these different parts together. We have had a mixture of professional recorded music and videos recorded on mobile phones.

“I think it shows how the creative minds of Barnsley musicians can come together and create this wonderful performance during these hard times. “

The single pays tribute to the staff that helped James Dickson recover from Covid-19 after he was admitted to Barnsley Hospital for treatment. James is a friend of the Barnsley Live Group and his son, Jack, 17, was a vocalist on the single.

Jack said: “I was more than happy when I was asked to be a part of the song, as I felt like it gave me an opportunity to give a little bit back to Barnsley Hospital.

“They did such a great job caring for my dad, and they continue to do an amazing job fighting the virus every day.”

Copies of the single can be bought from Blackfords Sports, down the Victorian Arcade.