By Isle of Wight Observer
A new single has been released to raise awareness and funds for the Daisy Ring Bus – a poignant cover of the classic hit ‘Lean on Me’.
Bill Withers’ iconic track with its core themes of trust, reassurance, and support during difficult times, mirrors the daily mission of the Daisy Ring Bus which provides free transport to Island cancer patients from ferry terminals to Southampton and Portsmouth hospitals.
The track, recorded and produced by Guy at Mustard Studios in Northwood, features the vocals of local singer, Anna Newton, and daughter of Michèle Le Quesne Newton, the chairman of the Daisy Ring Bus CIC.
Michèle said: “From the moment I first heard it, its message felt deeply aligned with the values at the heart of our cause. We’re incredibly grateful to Anna for using her music in this way, and for helping raise awareness of the support Daisy Ring Bus provides every day in our community.”
Anna explained: “My passion for music began at the age of four. In 2008, I studied Commercial Music at Platform One, where my love for music deepened and led me towards using music to promote well-being, enrichment and expression. Music has powerful healing qualities and a unique ability to bring people together, and this belief inspired my work.”
The CIC gained permission from Universal, who own the copyright, to use the song.
Alongside the link to the song is a donation button, for those that would like to support the cause. All donations will go directly toward maintaining the services for those who need them most.
IW East MP Joe Robertson supports the initiative. He said: Daisy Bus provides an incredibly important service, giving cancer patients safe, reliable, and pain-free transport to their treatments. “I encourage everyone to support the new charity single, Lean on Me, which marks the launch of their new Portsmouth Service and help support this fantastic cause.”
You can listen to the track via iw.observer/lean-on-me.
