POPSTAR Pixie Lott performed in front of borough students to raise awareness of cardiac deaths in young people.
The singer belted out hits including her new single Lay Me Down in a special concert for school leavers at St Augustine’s Catholic High School on Wednesday (June 25).
The day included the star talking to students about the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) which she has been a patron of since 2010.
The 23-year-old began working with the charity, which aims to raise awareness and reduce the number of sudden cardiac deaths in young people, after her sister’s friend died from Brugada syndrome aged just 17.
In 2012, Matt Beadle, a performer and dance teacher who knew Pixie during his time at the Italia Conti School in Chislehurst, died suddenly also from a previously undiagnosed condition aged 32.
Speaking to the Standard she said: “I’m here today to help spread the word for the charity CRY which I’m a patron of and it really affects young people, so it’s great to go into places like schools where there’s a lot of young people to spread the word.
“I wanted to reach different areas so I wanted to come up north somewhere and I know one of the students who used to go here, Georgina, and she’s so lovely and beautiful.
“She’s been really supportive and I’m so grateful for the support, so it’s so great to come to back to her school and see where she used to come everyday.
“I think it’s really important people do spread the message and that’s why I got involved. If I’m telling young people about it, they can relate to it a bit more because they are of a similar age, and hopefully they will take it to heart and note it a bit more.
“It’s fun because it helps get a bit of excitement going and then it just makes them really listen and remember why I’m here and to just spread the word and get themselves scanned.”
CRY’s representative, Stevie Rennie, joined the charity after losing her son Scott – an Olympic hopeful for the GB rowing team – to a previously undiagnosed heart condition.
She said after losing her son she found out about the charity and they provided a fast track testing system to understand what caused the 25-year-old’s death.
“He was the most fit, clean living, he was monitored, health wise you couldn’t get any healthier. And he was young,” she said.
“If you could save somebody, and if they screen someone then they may screen the family and it could save more lives.
“I think it’s wonderful Pixie is here. She can relate to younger people, and they will listen to her, so we are getting the message out there loud and clear.”
Anthony Quinn, St Augustine’s principal, added: “The school has already raised funds for Redditch Heart Safe and we have a defibrillator in school along with a team of staff who are defibrillator trained to stand aside our many First Aiders.”
The school also presented a cheque to CRY for £800 which was raised from a musical event.
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Welcome presents for Pixie Lott on her arrival at St Augustine’s. 2614033MMR2
Pixie Lott is welcomed by principal Tony Quinn 2614033MMR1
Pixie Lott was in town in her role as patron of the charity CRY
Pictures by Marcus Mingins 2614033MMR8.
Students were treated to a performance of some of the star’s hits. 2614033MMR9
Pixie Lott is welcomed by pupils at St Augustine’s Catholic High School. 2614033MMR3
