NEWS FROM INNOCENT DRINKS

Grandma, we want to be Number One again!

innocent big knit choir launch Christmas charity single

Having been out of the limelight for almost 30 years, former primary school popstars have reformed as the innocent big knit choir as they today launch their all-new version of ‘There’s No One Quite Like Grandma’. Six weeks after announcing their comeback, the 1980 Catholic school choir are taking on the big guns this year in a bid to become Christmas number one with their charity single in aid of the 2009 innocent big knit campaign.

14 of the original choir members who now include an architect, an HR consultant and a mortgage advisor will go head-to-head with big names such as Robbie Williams, George Michael and the much anticipated 2009 x-factor winner. The 2009 version of the 1980 hit record, which originally knocked music legend John Lennon off the number one spot, is now available on iTunes with all profits from the single* donated to innocent’s big knit charity - Age Concern and Help the Aged.

Every year, the innocent big knit sees members of the public hand-knit woollen hats for innocent Smoothies and Squeezies, and woollen warmers for innocent Veg Pots. For every woolly product sold in Sainsbury’s stores, innocent and Sainsbury’s give 35p to Age Concern and Help the Aged. Along with proceeds donated from the woolly hats, the charity single aims to raise over £250,000 supporting healthy eating and living projects for older people this winter.

The innocent big knit campaign has also attracted star backing including actress June Whitfield who has a cameo in the video and legendary record producer Pete Waterman who hopes the choir will be hot on the heels of x-factor judge Simon Cowell this year.

Pete Waterman said, "Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without hearing ‘There’s No One Quite Like Grandma’ and I’m thrilled the choir has reformed to bring this fun record to a new audience. The charity single celebrates Grandmas everywhere and we want people to dig deep to get this song to number one to raise as much money as possible for Age Concern and Help the Aged as part of innocent’s big knit 2009. It would also be great if it gave my old mate Simon Cowell’s X-Factor single a run for its money in the Christmas chart stakes."

innocent founder Richard Reed said, "We’re really excited to be going up against so many big names in the music industry for Christmas number one. It would be a dream to see the innocent big knit choir take the top spot against the celebrities releasing singles this Christmas as well as marking the return of the charity Christmas number one record since Band Aid 20 in 2004."

‘There No One Quite Like Grandma’ is available for download now from iTunes at 79p. To view the music video and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, log onto www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/bigknitchoir.

*A total of 42p from every download will go directly to Age Concern and Help the Aged



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For more information or to interview a member of the choir, please contact the innocent team at Frank on innocent@frankpr.it or 0207 693 6999



To find out more about The Big Knit Choir, log onto www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/bigknitchoir. Become a fan of The Big Knit Choir on Facebook and follow on Twitter @innocentdrinks (http://twitter.com/Innocentdrinks from your web browser) and if you are talking about The Big Knit Choir and want to link up with other choir fans just use #BIGKNITCHOIR in your Tweet.



Notes to editors:

· Innocent behatted smoothies, veg pots and kids squeezies are now on sale in Sainsbury’s nationwide.

· To date the Big Knit, has raised over £600,000 and the initiative sees members of the public and Age Concern volunteers knit woollen hats for innocent Smoothies and Squeezies, and woollen warmers for innocent Veg Pots. For every woolly product sold in Sainsbury’s stores, innocent and Sainsbury’s will give 35p to Age Concern and Help the Aged.

· There's No-one Quite Like Grandma was originally a number one hit single by Stockport-based primary school choir St. Winifred's School Choir in 1980. It was the Christmas number one single in the United Kingdom from 27 December 1980 - 3 January 1981. The song was written by Gordon Lorenz.

Age UK is the new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged. We will be known by our new name from Spring 2010. The Age UK family includes Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI.


· Choir members and their home towns include:

Lisa Hughes, from Stockport
Eileen Brown, from Northwood
Nicola Williams, from Stockport
Catherine Bailey, from Bolton
Bernadette Egan, from Dublin
Tara Daynes, from Camden
Dominic Blythe, from Huddersfield
Helen White, from Stockport
Nicola Hulme, from Stockport
Dionne Birtles, from Stockport
Carole Allen, from Nottingham
Jo O’Driscoll, from Cheshire
Carolyn O’Driscoll, from Cheshire
Katie O’Driscoll, from Cheshire


The Big Knit Fact File:

· It’s a sad fact that in the UK, 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 are malnourished. So when it’s nippy outside, it’s even more important for older people to look after themselves and make sure their bodies are in tip top shape.

· For every behatted smoothie, veg pot or squeezies sold in Sainsbury’s stores, innocent and Sainsbury’s will give 35p to Age Concern and Help the Aged.

· The monies raised will be used to support healthy eating and healthy living projects for older people. These include advice centres offering information on healthy eating as well as cooking clubs and get-togethers where older people can sit down and enjoy a meal in each other’s company.

· Innocent smoothies retail at £1.89, veg pots at £3.59 and kids’ squeezies at £1.99.