A special event launched by NHS Cumbria has received the backing of bona fide music legends.

The North East and North Cumbria NHS trust has organised the event, which will take place on June 20th at 2pm.

The Connection Through Music event is backed by stars like Sting, Eric Clapton, and KT Tunstall, who showed their support for the initiative by granting the trust access to their music videos, which will be used as part of the event, as well as special messages which will be played on the day.

The event is aimed at celebrating the music made by NHS workers as part of a therapeutic path to heal the trauma caused by being at the frontline of the country’s response to COVID-19.

Funded by NHS England’s new regional support service, the team behind this event has been delivering weekly shows since March 2020, bringing musical talent and harnessing the power of music to help workers overcome the mental health challenges brought about by the pressure, isolation, and fear that were brought about by the pandemic.

The event is supported by Prof. Nigel Osborne, an internationally recognised composer, peace worker, and musical therapy pioneer, who worked with staff to create songs from their experiences.

The event was initiated by Clinical Director Dr Angela Kennedy who said: "Our work across the North East and North Cumbria region has revealed the extent of the psychological impact working through the pandemic has caused to our staff.

"Building on work with music for wellbeing using Nigel’s playlists on the recovery college online website and our weekly Connection Through Music events, this event harnesses the best of what we know about human creativity and connectedness.

"We hope it signals a new kind of restoration and transformation around the dialogue of mental health that is not just about individual."