Shropshire Star

Watch: Heart-warming video helps launch song to highlight plight of Shrewsbury's homeless

An emotional video and song was today launched highlighting the plight of homeless people in the build-up to Christmas.

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Singer/songwriter Paul Henshaw, his wife Nikki, car dealers Greenhous and Shrewsbury Ark – a centre for homeless and vulnerable people – have teamed up to raise awareness for those sleeping rough.

The song Today Is Going To Be a Good Day, written by Paul, and performed by himself and Nikki – who make up duo Blacksmith Hill – accompanies a heart-warming video created by Greenhous.

Today Is Going To Be a Good Day goes on sale today on iTunes for 79p and Amazon for 99p.

  • Download it from iTunes here

  • Download it from Amazon here

The video largely features homeless man Nigel and his dog Mercedes, shown being given a hot meal and drink from a kind stranger on Pride Hill in Shrewsbury. Paul and Nikki are also featured performing the song in the town centre. As well as raising awareness for those sleeping rough, the song will also raise funds through sales on iTunes and Amazon with all proceeds going to The Shrewsbury Ark.

Paul said the song and video also aims to challenge preconceptions about those without a home. He said: "The opening line of the song is 'Just another day on the outside looking in,' and I think that says a lot, homeless people can be treated that way.

"Sometimes we can just walk past without looking someone in the eye. Homeless people are just as much a part of the community as anyone.

"On the day of filming, Nigel was given a big box of fudge from the sweet shop on Pride Hill because just the night before he had been woken up by their shop sign being blown over so climbed to put it back up for them and let them know he had the following morning in case they'd seen on CCTV and wondered what he was doing."

Paul has strong links to Shrewsbury Ark as he reworked a song written, performed and recorded by Ben Bebbington, who was tragically killed in 2012. Paul performed the song as a duet as part of this year's Big Busk music festival, set up in Ben's memory.

It is hoped the video will become a viral sensation, raising vital awareness of homelessness with the hashtag #NigelsGoodDay.

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