A Saltash lad is part of a Christmas choir who have never met – but who are aiming to top the album charts this Christmas as part of Choirs with Purpose’s album Stand Together, released yesterday.

Called the Cystic Fibrosis Virtual Choir, they are unable to appear together because they risk passing life-threatening infections to each other.

That is because they all live with the life-shortening, inherited condition cystic fibrosis, which leads to a severely reduced quality of life.

The Cystic Fibrosis Virtual Choir is one of 12 charity choirs featured on the Choirs with Purpose Christmas album. Sales of the album will help to raise vital funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and all the other charities involved.

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease which inflicts such a cruel burden, known as cross-infection, which can be fatal.

It is a genetic condition and people with it need a vast daily intake of drugs and time-consuming daily physiotherapy. They also must be isolated from others with the condition and live each day knowing it can critically escalate at any moment.

To ensure the Cystic Fibrosis Virtual Choir were able to safely perform their album track - a cover of One Voice by the Wailin’ Jennys - each singer went into the recording studio separately. They were recorded in isolation and the entire studio was then deep-cleaned and aired before the next person began their set.

Producer James Hawkins then matched each solo performance, mixing them together for the exclusive track.  

Tom Skeldon, 12, from Saltash, who joined the choir and features on the album said: ‘I started singing and playing guitar when I was three years old and it really lifts my mood and cheers me up. I also believe singing is good for my lungs as it opens them up. It is a type of deep breathing exercise which I feel helps to strengthen my lungs.

‘One of the hardest things about living with cystic fibrosis is the isolation; you can never physically meet the only people who really understand what it’s like. It requires me to undertake rigorous physiotherapy and medication.

‘Each day, I spend around 30 minutes doing breathing exercises, and take between 30 and 40 tablets as well as using nebulisers and inhalers. But having cystic fibrosis has never stopped me from trying to realise my dreams. I feel really lucky to have been part of this wonderful project. It was a great experience.’

Choirs with Purpose  also features Britain’s Got Talent’s Missing People Choir, the Greenwich and Lewisham NHS Choir and the Parrs Wood High School Choir, who famously sang with Ariana Grande at the One Love Manchester concert earlier this year.

The album’s debut single We All Stand Together was released in November and it brought together 1,400 voices from all the choirs involved in the album. Sir Paul McCartney has backed the project and waived all royalties.

Buy: ‘We All Stand Together’ (the single) by Choirs with Purpose feat. Michelle McManus:http://smarturl.it/WeAllStandTogether  

Buy: ‘Stand’ Together (the album) by Choirs With Purpose: https://IDOL.lnk.to/StandTogether