Singing performance at Queen Elizabeth Hospital for key workers and Captain Tom
A Sutton Bridge singer has described feeling emotional as she sang five songs at Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital to coincide with the latest round of Clap for Our Carers and Captain Tom Moore's birthday.
Courtney Remmig, 22, was positioned outside the main entrance to the building for 25 minutes as songs such as Mariah Carey's Hero were performed on Thursday evening.
The singer also wanted to pay her respects for healthcare assistant Chrissie Emerson who died after testing positive for the coronavirus in April.
She said: "At one point I did get emotional and had to look away when I was singing Hero.
"I was a bit outside my comfort zone. A lot of people were watching and there was a lot of pressure because I did not want to mess up. At first there were only a couple of people but then everyone came out and all the nurses were linking arms."
A Happy Birthday tribute was also sung to Captain Tom Moore, who raised more than £32m for the NHS by walking laps of his garden ahead of his 100th birthday.
Having started singing at the age of eight, Courtney has been performing publicly since the birth of her daughter in 2016.
She said: "One of my friends mentioned the idea to me. I did not want to just turn up and sing so I contacted the hospital and they agreed that it would be a good idea."
Hospital staff and residents across West Norfolk once again stepped outside to applaud the heroic efforts of key workers and NHS staff across the nation.
The Clap for our Carers campaign has captured the imagination of the public during the coronavirus pandemic, having been initially thought up by Dutch Londoner Annemarie Plas.
Speaking about the efforts of key workers, Courtney said: "Obviously I appreciate everything the NHS have done and every key worker is doing their bit especially at such a tough time.
"The NHS never fail to amaze me considering the pressure they are under. People can say bad things but the staff are doing all they can."
The singer, who is currently staying with her parents in Lynn, said her sister used to work at the QEH.
Reacting to the poignant performance, onlooker Sue Fox said: “Jolly well done young lady. Lovely voice. Well done to all NHS workers.”
Another approving member of the public, Katie Harpham, said: “What a lovely thing to do and so brave! You sang it beautifully Courtney.”
The lyrics for Mariah Carey’s Hero, which Courtney thought would be an appropriate song, include: “And then a hero comes along.With the strength to carry on.
“And you cast your fears aside. And you know you can survive. So when you feel like hope is gone. Look inside you and be strong. And you’ll finally see the truth. That a hero lies in you.”
Videos of her performance at the hospital can be found on Facebook.
