Region's football choristers sing for NHS Charities

The 2020 Emirates FA Cup competition may be on hold because of the Coronavirus pandemic - the final was supposed to be this weekend - but football supporters are being urged to singalong to the traditional Cup final hymn 'Abide with Me' on Saturday May 23rd.

The call comes from members of the 2015 FA Fans Choir, who sang the famous song ahead of the end-of-season showpiece between Arsenal and Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium.

Sixty-four fans, each representing a club involved in the FA Cup 3rd Round for that season including Cambridge United, Ipswich Town, Luton Town and Norwich City, joined forces for the event five years ago.

Now they have reunited at a social distance online as the FA Fans Choir 2020, to create a Nationwide Call to sing the time honoured traditional anthem, all under #AbideWithMeNHS.

Dave Gilhooley compiled the video from Fans Choir Members Contributions from all over the country.

The supporters representing clubs in the ITV Anglia patch were:

Cambridge United: Liam Plumridge

Colchester United: Louise Brookes

Ipswich Town: Trevor Ransome

Luton Town: Neil Blake

Norwich City: David Cuffley

Also two clubs were represented by fans living in Cambridgeshire:

Southport: Stuart Green (Sutton nr Ely)

Wigan Athletic: Malcolm Lee (Bluntisham)

A ‘Just Giving’ page has been set up, the aim being to raise money for NHS Charities Together, supporting staff and volunteers caring for C-19 patients.

Supporters are being encouraged to sing at 1730, Saturday 23rd May.

This season's FA Cup competition reached the 6th Round stage before football was suspended in mid March.

Norwich City were due to host Manchester United at Carrow Road on March 22nd.