Fancy being a pop star? Women in Portsmouth invited to sing on charity track with a host of celebrities

Cancer Research UK re-releases ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ to launch Race for Life 2010

The single was released 26th April – watch the video here! www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1bjRsJLOIU

Ever fancied singing on a hit single? Cancer Research UK is now making this a reality by inviting women from Portsmouth to sing on the charity’s upcoming single, a remake of Cyndi Lauper’s 80s classic ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, alongside a host of female stars and women from across the UK, including singer Sonique, actress Kym Marsh and GMTV’s Penny Smith. The track is due to be released in late April to mark the start of Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life series – the UK’s largest women-only fundraising series.

Music producers will be joining the Race for Life team at Cascades Shopping Centre on Saturday 6th March, where women can also sign-up for their local event at the same time. To take part in the single, budding female popstars just have to show-up at the centre anytime between 12pm – 5.30pm and visit the Race for Life stand, they will then be guided through the simple process of recording their very own part of the song. A full list of days and shopping centres participating can be found at www.raceforlife.org. The Race for Life stand itself will be open from 10am-5.30pm from Friday 5th – Sunday 7th March where women can find out more about their local event, sign-up on the spot and receive help setting up their fundraising page.

DJ and singer Sonique will be fronting the single. Sonique, who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer, will be joined by a line-up of female celebrities and a selection of women who have been personally affected by cancer, when they add their voices to the song, recording their lines in a studio. The female celebrity line-up includes singer and actress Kym Marsh, TV presenter Zoe Salmon, GMTV’s Penny Smith, actresses Lucy Benjamin and Caroline Quentin, and Hollyoaks star Loui Batley.

Sonique, who is taking to the microphone for the first time since her diagnosis last June, said: “Cancer Research UK has never released a charity song before, and I’m immensely proud and thrilled to be part of their first single to launch this year’s Race for Life series. It’s great to see such a wide range of female celebrities and women who have been affected by cancer involved and it highlights how cancer really does touch everyone. ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ really embodies the spirit of the Race for Life events because, although there’s a serious message behind the activity, it really does feel like the ultimate girls day out! The fact that any woman, no matter how good her voice is, can take part in the song is great. Every woman in Portsmouth needs to grab their best friend, sister, mother, daughter or even grandmother and come along, burst out a line of our song, and sign-up for a Race for Life at the same time.”

Now in its 17th year, Race for Life is the UK’s largest women-only fundraising series, with over 230 events taking place this summer. Women from across the UK come together to simply walk, jog or run 5k and raise money to help beat cancer. It’s not competitive and women of all ages, shapes and sizes take part each and every year. Since Race for Life began in 1994, there has been a 15 per cent drop in the death rate from cancer, something that money raised from Race for Life has helped to achieve. Last year over 700,000 women came together and raised an incredible £60 million to fund Cancer Research UK’s life saving work.

Each Race for Life event covers a distance of 5k and Cancer Research UK is encouraging women of all ages and levels of fitness to participate. Furthermore, with the 2010 addition of being able to sign-up directly in the shopping centres, it has never been easier to take part. To sign up for a Race for Life event, or find out which shopping centres will have a direct sign-up facility, and for more information on how to take part in the ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ single, go to www.raceforlife.org

For more press information or images please contact Sophie Raine/Laura Bryce at Frank PR on 020 7693 6999/ 0781 309 5242 or email cancerresearchuk@frankpr.it

About Sonique and her cancer experience:

Sonique (real name Sonia Clarke), aged 41, is a British Singer and DJ who is currently being treated for breast cancer. Sonique was diagnosed less than a year ago in May 2009. After a biopsy, it was revealed that the disease had spread to the lymph nodes under her arms and she was rushed straight into hospital for an operation to remove both the lump and lymph nodes. A week later Sonique had another operation to remove further tissue, which was then followed by five months of intensive chemotherapy that finished two months ago in November. Soon after this, doctors recommended that Sonique went though her third operation to remove additional tissue as a preventative measure. During January and February Sonique will go through six weeks of preventative radiotherapy which she hopes will signify the end of her cancer journey.

‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ contributors (to date) include:

Sonique, 41, British DJ and singer
Lucie Jones, 18, X Factor Finalist
Liz Mclarnon, 29, TV presenter and former member of girlband Atomic Kitten
Carol Decker, 53, British Recording Artist (80’s band T’Pau)
Kym Marsh, 34, Actress/singer
Nina Wadia, 42, Eastenders actress
Kelli Young, 29 – Singer who found fame with pop band Liberty X
Penny Smith, 52 – TV presenter
Danielle Lloyd, 27 – British glamour model
Lucy Benjamin, 40, Actress
Caroline Quentin, 50, Actress
Sam and Amanda Marchant, both 22, twins whose career started in Big Brother
Su-Elise Nash, 29, British singer who found fame in girlband Mis-Teeq
Cheeky Girls, aka, Gabriella and Monica Irimia, both 28, female duo
Lisa Scott-Lee, 35, British recording artist
Zoe Salmon, 30, TV presenter
Shola Ama, 30, singer
Loui Bately, 23, Hollyoaks actress
Deanne Berry, 29, Fitness Expert (GMTV)

About Cancer Research UK:

Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK’s vision is to beat cancer
Cancer Research UK carries out world-class research to improve understanding of the disease and find out how to prevent, diagnose and treat different kinds of cancer
Cancer Research UK ensures that its findings are used to improve the lives of all cancer patients
Cancer Research UK helps people to understand cancer, the progress that is being made and the choices each person can make
Cancer Research UK works in partnership with others to achieve the greatest impact in the global fight against cancer
For further information about Cancer Research UK’s work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 020 7009 8820 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org.uk