A SOUL singer has announced a partnership with a suicide prevention and mental health charity with the aim of getting people talking at this difficult time.

Beth Macari is hoping to encourage people to talk as well as supporting Chester-le-Street based If U Care Share.

Miss Macari, an award winning soul singer based in the North-East, will be launching her latest single “I Am” on July 17 and will donate 100 per cent of sales revenue to the charity to help it continue its life saving work.

It is also hoped that the song will get people talking and encourage people to reach out.

As part of the campaign, people are being encouraged to express themselves by tweeting a word to describe themselves and using the hashtag #IAmEverything on July 16 between 6pm and 9pm.

“I Am” is a song all about “self-love” and accepting who you are, important steps in improving your mental health. After reaching out to her fans and celebrity friends, inviting them to describe themselves in one word, the video which accompanies the song is a collage of short videos submitted by each participant.

Miss Macari has also drafted in celebrities such as TV and radio host Gaby Roslin, former Emmerdale star Gemma Oaten, West End singer Cassidy Janson, Corrie and Holby City actor Charlie Condou and the North-East’s Chelsea Halfpenny, who all appear in the video with a view to increase awareness of the charity's work far and wide.

Miss Macari said: “‘I Am’ is quite possibly my most honest song, it took a lot for me to be able to finally write a song about loving and accepting who I am. I’ve had many experiences in the industry where I have been ‘trolled’, told I am too big, and my voice is too big and that I need to change who I am if I ever want to succeed, which no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, part of those words always plant a seed of doubt. But with this new music, my head is in a much better and stronger place, I want to spread the message so loud that its okay to love who you are and to accept yourself. Your Mental health is so important, that’s why I wanted to partner with this amazing charity to help spread awareness of the great work they do.”

If U Care Share Foundation has seen a 275 per cent increase in demand for its services including suicide prevention, bereavement support and mental health support during the coronavirus pandemic.

Nigel Wright, who has scored five number-one singles, 31 Top 20 singles and a string of platinum albums, continued: “This sounds like a hit to me. I admire Beth's pure determination and I hope, in the end, this pays off big time.”

As part of the campaign, people are being encouraged to express their personalities by tweeting a word to describe themselves, using the #IAM on the 16th of July between 6pm and 9pm.

Funding manager Dominic McDonough said: “We are so grateful to Beth for linking up with us, she is incredibly talented and the message of “I Am” is more important than ever at the moment."