Songwriters pen music for Relay for Life

A songwriting competition aiming to send out a positive message about cancer is to be held on Sunday.

The event has been organised by the Shetland Singer/Songwriters group in conjunction with the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Relay for Life Shetland committee.

Seven songs have been entered and will be performed at Fjara in Lerwick from 7pm.

The winning entry – or entries – will be performed live by their composer(s) during this year’s Relay for Life Candle of Hope ceremony at the Clickimin on 26th May.

The original criteria was that they should be of an upbeat nature, reflecting positive aspects surrounding the ongoing fight against cancer and the increasing survival rates resulting from that.

The compositions will be performed before members of the Shetland Relay for Life Committee who will judge the entries.

Committee chairman Martin Henderson said “We thought this would be a novel way of sending out a positive message – plus be a bit of fun too – although no doubt this provided the singer/songwriters group with a challenge, writing positive, upbeat songs from what is all too often a very dark subject.

“We now look forward to hearing the songs themselves and to having the winner or winners perform their songs during the Candle of Hope ceremony at the Relay itself.”

The Candle of Hope ceremony is an integral part of CRUK’s Relay for Life, with this year’s event returning to its original home at the Clickimin Centre when teams will undertake a twelve-hour marathon fundraising walk in aid of Cancer Research UK.

This year all monies raised through the local relay will remain in Scotland to support research there.

Folk can still register a team for the event by visiting the Shetland Relay for Life Facebook page.