A musical family from Wells have put out a call to people who have been bereaved during the pandemic to submit a photograph of the person they have lost for the video to a charity single to mark the devastating toll taken on the UK by Covid-19.

The Millington family reached number 2 on iTunes in December 2020 with their version of 'Together In Electric Dreams' by Phil Oakey and Georgio Moroder which secured the backing of Stephen Fry, Midge Ure and Matt Lucas, gained national TV and radio coverage and was released alongside a video containing the images of over 150 people whose lives had been lost during the first nine months of the pandemic.

This year, they are releasing a version of Ed Sheeran's song 'Photograph' in aid of Cruse Bereavement Support and in conjunction with the Yellow Hearts Facebook Group. A key Covid support network, the group was created by Hannah Gompertz from Castle Cary after she displayed a yellow heart in her window following the death of her grandmother from the disease in April 2020.

Producer Jeremy Millington explains: "We really want to convey the enormity of the loss.

"Covid has taken a monumental toll on the UK, but I think we've started to feel numbed to all the statistics. We want people to see the thousands of faces: each was a life, a dad or mum or brother whose chair will be empty at the Christmas table. We want to create a musical monument to them all and give something back to those who've worked so hard to help the thousands of people who've struggled under the weight of loss."

Jeremy and his wife Lorraine Millington, together known as music duo The Portraits, are behind the project and their 15-year-old daughter Ciara takes the lead vocal on the new song as she did on their 2020 single.

In a strange twist, Ciara contracted Covid herself in September 2021 and recorded the new song whilst still in recovery, as she explains: "Last year, when we released a song for all the suffering Covid has brought, I had no idea what the disease felt like.

"When I got it in September, it was like I suddenly knew how terrible the illness is, and I thought: we absolutely have to do a follow-up."

This year they've secured the participation of the Somerset County Youth Orchestra and local choir The Skylarks, with all participants donating their time for free. People wishing to submit images can do so by email to [email protected] or Whatsapp to 07934 782687 including the name of the person who has passed away.