COVID-19: #KeephoLDiNgon music video aims to raise morale of learning disability nursing students

Lecturers, people with learning disabilities and some famous faces join forces to make the #KeephoLDiNgon music video and raise students’ morale during pandemic

A music video has been produced by learning disability nursing lecturers aiming to lift their students’ spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It features people with learning disabilities, the lecturers themselves, nurses, students and some famous faces including Bridget Jones actor Sally Phillips, who has a son with Down’s syndrome, former Liberal Democrat MP Sir Norman Lamb and harpist Xenia Horne.

Watch: #keephoLDiNgon

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The #KeephoLDiNgon video is the brainchild of Teesside University learning disability nurse lecturer Chris Dlamini, who got together with colleagues from the Learning Disability Consultant Nurse Network, the Learning Disability Academics Network, WeLDNurses, and Jon Bryant, who produced and directed the video.

It shows the participants joining in with the song Keep Holding On performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne.

‘Thank you for choosing this profession’

Mr Bryant said: ‘After feeling overwhelmed by the pandemic I had the idea of a tribute video to all learning disability nursing students in the UK, appreciating their efforts and commitment during placement. It was never about who opted in or out, it was just to say, “Thank you for choosing this profession.”

‘I am happy to say that team #KeephoLDiNgon is not a one hit-wonder. Since completing video one we have video two due to be released this month. There are already more projects in the pipeline. We are here for our nursing students, we are here for people with learning disabilities.’

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Learning disability consultant nurse Gwen Moulster said: ‘It seems to have touched people’s hearts. It is important to us that this is just part of a wider strategy to strengthen our profession, to raise awareness about what a wonderful career learning disability nursing is, and to ensure the emotional health and well-being of our nurses and students.’

Launched on 25 May, the video has had 6,400 YouTube views and organisers say the project hashtag #KeephoLDiNgon has reached ten million people through social media.

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