Cancer survivor takes song about Silver Jubilee Bridge in Halton to UK Songwriting Contest finals

Dec 1 2011 by Oliver Clay, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

Cancer survivor takes song about Silver Jubilee Bridge in Halton to UK Songwriting Contest finals

A CANCER survivor has co-written a song about the Silver Jubilee Bridge and taken it to the finals of a major songwriting competition.

Philomena Sheridan was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2008, and operated on the following June.

She received support from the Widnes And Runcorn Cancer Support Centre on Alforde Street, Widnes, and started chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

It was when returning home one evening from Clatterbridge Hospital that Philomena was inspired to write the song.

She said: “I was feeling tired, but as our bridge came into view it was bathed in the evening sun.

“I was so glad to see it that I said ‘when you see the bridge, you know you’re home’.”

This became the first line of Philomena’s song Mersey Bridge.

She then contacted Stuart Brown of The Studio, Lacey Street, Widnes.

She said: “I got in touch with Stuart and asked if he would arrange the music for me.

“Stuart liked the song and when I went back the next week, he had composed an extra verse and an extra part to the chorus and he played it to me. I liked the arrangement and we went on from there.”

The duo presented Halton’s newest anthem to Cllr Rob Polhill in October who gave his and the council’s backing for the song.

Mersey Bridge was entered into the UK Songwriting Contest 2011, and stormed into the finals.

Philomena and Stuart have since produced a CD featuring Mersey Bridge along with a bonus track, Napa Valley.

The CD will be launched in the foyer of Widnes Market on Saturday, December 3, between 9am-4pm and costs £2.

A percentage of the sales profits will go to Breast Cancer Support and The Studio AAA (Access All Areas).