Former council high-flyer turned musician releases Christmas single for COVID charity

A musician who had a complete work and lifestyle change after falling ill with COVID has released a Christmas single with half the proceeds going to a national charity.
By Emma Ryan
Published 29th Dec 2021, 11:45 GMT
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Phil Mellen was the deputy director of Children and Families at Leeds City Council when he got coronavirus in March 2020 just before the first national lockdown was brought in.

He thought he would be off work for just a couple of weeks and return to the office, but ended up in hospital seriously ill for at least six weeks and was left with further long-term health issues caused by the virus.

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It meant the father of three, would not be able to return to work and the daily commute he made from his home in Manchester to Leeds so in August 2020, took redundancy and walked away from a career in education that had spanned more than 25 years.

Philip Mellen has returned to a love of music after being ill with COVID and has now released a charity single.Philip Mellen has returned to a love of music after being ill with COVID and has now released a charity single.
Philip Mellen has returned to a love of music after being ill with COVID and has now released a charity single.

He took back up again a passion for music, which had been put on the backburner due to work and family commitments, and signed a five-year deal with Wobbly Music, that will see him produce three albums and play live gigs.

Working under the name BlackSheepLad he has penned and released the single "Better this Christmas" and half of the proceeds from the song will be going to the Covid:Aid Charity.

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As a modern charity, it also acts as a platform for other charities, healthcare providers, grassroots groups, and other organisations to inform and promote the advice and services they have for issues such as Long Covid, grief and bereavement, trauma, vaccines, protection measures, and financial hardship.

Philip Mellen was a senior official at Leeds City Council for many years and left his job following a battle with COVID and returned to making music.Philip Mellen was a senior official at Leeds City Council for many years and left his job following a battle with COVID and returned to making music.
Philip Mellen was a senior official at Leeds City Council for many years and left his job following a battle with COVID and returned to making music.