AMATEUR actors in the Borders have scored more than 2,500 views on a video dedicated to the NHS.

A group of nine performers changed the lyrics to a song from the musical Rent.

Singer Lynsey Cullen said: “It’s very much about giving people hope, about collaborating and protecting the NHS.”

The video, which has proved popular on Facebook, features alternative lyrics to the track Seasons Of Love.

Lynsey said: “Myself and eight other local am-dram enthusiasts decided that, during COVID-19, we would record a song to try and raise some money for a couple of local charities.”

The performers were meeting up for weekly quizzes via Zoom – from their various homes in Lauder, Earlston, St Boswells, Selkirk, Melrose, Tweedbank and Galashiels – when singer Kirsty Cleland suggested they attempt to pull together a recording.

Kirsty named the project 'Let’s isolate and collaborate to protect the NHS', and amended the lyrics to read: "525,600 reasons, 525,600 lives to protect, 525,600 reasons, To stay at home and protect the NHS.”

Lynsey, formerly an alto with Galashiels Amateur Operatic Society, said she hopes viewers will consider donating to local charities NHS Borders’ The Difference and Café Recharge.

“The Difference is NHS Borders’ COVID-19 response fund,” said Lynsey, who works for NHS Scotland in Edinburgh.

“By donating to them directly, you can make sure your money is going to local services.

“Café Recharge, in Galashiels, take surplus food from local supermarkets to make up food parcels and hot meals for local communities who are struggling to buy food.

“They opened just before lockdown, so they’re now crowdfunding to make sure they can keep going – especially as this is when communities need them even more.”

Each performer recorded their own part of the song and then sent it to Kirsty, who edited all the parts together.

Lynsey said: “Kirsty recorded the song, and we all had an earbud in when we recorded our part so we could hear her in our ear, but we were singing it to no music.

“Kirsty is a bit of a whizz on editing, so she was able to take all our songs individually and put them together. Which is very impressive!”

The nine singers got to know each other through amateur dramatics in the Borders.

Lynsey said: “We’re not even in the same official group.

"But between working with each other in Selkirk and Galashiels, we keep a link in, which is really nice – it feels like one big family.

“And it’s really nice that local theatre groups are sharing the video as well – they’re all supporting it.”

You can view the video on Facebook.

To donate to The Difference, you can visit this website.

To donate to Café Recharge, you can visit this page.