A SOUTHAMPTON musician has released a charity single about his time during lockdown, in a bid to raise funds for Diabetes UK.

Singer and Songwriter, Jonny Moody, who was diagnosed with type one diabetes more than 20 years ago, used lockdown as an inspiration to write his new single "Circle", which released on Wednesday July 15.

Diabetes is a serious and growing problem throughout the UK, and there are currently more than 13,000 people in Southampton diagnosed with the condition, which is why all proceeds from the song will be donated to Diabetes UK.

Talking about the song, Jonny said: "As a jobbing musician, lockdown has been beyond hard with gigs cancelled all at once. I haven’t earned anything since March so the only thing I’ve been able to do during lockdown is write and record. ‘Circle’ is a song close to my heart. It’s inspired by the pandemic and the importance of bringing people together to achieve a better future which I think is a pretty good message for these strange times.

“Lockdown or no lockdown, you never get a day off from diabetes. But I’m managing my diabetes quite well thanks to my new glucose monitoring device. It can read my blood sugar levels without the constant need for finger pricks. It’s been a life-changer.

"Diabetes UK have done a lot for me – I used to read their monthly magazine growing up which really helped me understand the condition and come to terms with it. It answered my life’s questions in the early days. Now, whenever I need advice, I always turn to the Diabetes UK website. This single is my way of thanking the charity for always being there for me.”

The 33-year-old also got some of his friends to help with the track’s backing vocals and one of those friends is Kim Purkis, a local teacher who lives in the New Forest who was diagnosed with Intestinal Failure in 2015.

Kim, 31, said: "I was excited when Jonny asked if I could add some backing vocals to his single. It’s not something I’ve done before, but I love his music and he’s a very talented musician, so I couldn’t say no! Diabetes UK has been a useful resource for me to turn to recently, so it’s been great to be part of something which will support the work they do!”

Jill Steaton, Regional Head in the South East for Diabetes UK, said: “Jonny is a true star – the single sounds amazing and we’re so grateful to him for penning this song about a pandemic that has affected us all in different ways. These fundraising efforts will help raise funds for Diabetes UK’s research into pioneering treatments which help save lives.”

The single is now available to stream on Spotify and all other major streaming platforms, and the music video can be viewed here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ycfpn7DXYk&feature=youtu.be