Actor Kevin McKidd has teamed up with members of Del Amitri and Cuddly Shark to create a charity single.

The Trainspotting and Grey’s Anatomy star takes male lead vocal on ‘Leave A Light On’ – a duet with Northern Irish singer, Mairead Carlin – with proceeds being shared between The Trussell Trust and Help Musicians Northern Ireland.

The idea came about when McKidd and songwriter James D Reid, who have known each other since they were teenagers in Elgin, chatted about reports on how foodbanks were currently struggling for funding.

The duo had previously collaborated in 2012, on McKidd’s album ‘The Speyside Sessions’, which went to number one in the iTunes World Music Charts in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Germany and Spain. That release was in aid of Save the Children, for which McKidd is an ambassador.

The duo then brought in actor Iain Robertson – who appeared alongside McKidd in 1996 film ‘Small Faces’ – plus Mairead Carlin, from Grammy-nominated world music group Celtic Woman, her husband Ronan Scolard, who arranged the track, and Mairead Nesbitt, a former Celtic Woman performer on violin.

A variety of musicians also appear on the single, including Del Amitri’s Bryan Tolland, Colin Reid out of Cuddly Shark, and Dave Martin aka Big Fat Electric, while former SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson also features.

With all the contributors including 13 backing singers in lockdown, many sang into their iPhones from under their stairs, in their kids’ bedrooms – one singer having to sing at night to avoid seagulls joining in in the background!

Mixer and engineer Scott Cameron – previously of Le Reno Amps and Maple and co-founder of Armellodie Records – pieced together the various elements into the final track.

Iain Robertson used his film-making skills to co-ordinate a similar process for the video – the actor, currently being a regular in River City, recently directed a short film ‘Bridge’, which won Best Short Film at the prestigious Dinard film festival.

‘Leave A Light On’ is available as a download or stream – more at the Speyside Sessions Justgiving page

Funds raised will go to The Trussell Trust and Help Musicians UK.