The famous Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust Choir have done their best to lift all our spirits with a lovely cover of 'I Can See Clearly Now', recorded by doctors, nurses and other hospital staff during lockdown.

Many of the choir members have been working long, challenging shifts and 'unbelievable workloads' throughout the lockdown, and say they wanted to their musical efforts to tap into the theme of 'hope'. 

The lockdown video features dozens of NHS workers singing and dancing to Johnny Nahs's timless classic, recorded from their respective homes due to restrictions, but aiming to boost positivity and fundraise money.

The vocal arrangement is by choir's long-time musical director Phil Mitchell and his wife Lucy, and the video was produced thanks to some local help.

Choir tenor Johan Lindskog, who also plays guitar on the track, said it had been "so helpful" to have a project like this to spend time on amid the backdrop of the current Covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Lindskog, who works as a anaesthetist in south east London, intubated his first Covid-19 patient on March 15, and says that since then work has been “flat out”.

"It has really lifted my spirits, and I know that’s true of the rest of the choir too. We’re really pleased with the result musically as well – everyone’s done so brilliantly in shaping the track and video.”

At the end of the video, the choir offers a message asking people to show their support for the trust's own charity, as well as heroes at St John Ambulance and beyond.

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust Choir are no stranger to the spotlight, after their 2015 mashup of 'Bride over Troubled Water' and 'Fix You' reached number one on the UK Singles Chart.

Caroline Smith, the choir’s coordinator and a Paediatric Physiotherapist, offered an insight into their song choice.

“I know that some will argue that it’s too positive a song to have chosen, as the world is of course nowhere close to being ‘back to normal’, but with services reopening around the Trust, and with the morale-boost and sense of wellbeing that working on this project has given us, we wanted to get the message out there – as the song says, “I think I can make it now”.

The choir started back in 2012 as part of Gareth Malone's BBC2 show, 'Sing While You Work'.

While they were narrowly beaten in the show’s finale, they won hearts with their talent and their journey.

Their success on the show took them from the small screen to the Royal Albert Hall, the FA Cup Final, Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage and more.

In 2015 their Christmas single ‘A Bridge Over You’ beat the likes of Justin Bieber, Adele, Stormzy and One Direction to the historic number one spot.

Deirdre Barr (RN), St John Ambulance regional clinical manager, said: “Our volunteers are incredibly proud to have played their part in supporting patients and staff at the Trust during COVID-19.

"Lewisham was the very first site in the country to welcome our volunteers as they started this new and challenging role; but, with the help from hospital staff and clinical teams they soon found their feet and became part of the team, right in the heart of the community.

“To now be supported by the Trust’s choir means a lot to everyone here at St John – thank you.”

To view the video via YouTube, click here.