A SINGER is releasing a charity single and music video to help a close friend after he suffered a stroke.

Natalie Cook, from Burnham, has written You Never Know with the help of George Redwood to help raise money to fund rehabilitation work for close friend Geoff Smith.

Last March, Geoff was getting up to go to work when he suffered a haemorrhagic stroke which nearly ended his life.

He needed life-saving surgery to remove part of his skull to relieve the pressure on his brain.

Following a craniectomy at Queen’s Hospital, in Romford, wife Jo set up a fund for supporters to help with his recovery.

After five-and-a-half months in hospital, Geoff was discharged and began his rehabilitation.

Just over a year and almost 100,000 followers on Facebook later, Geoff is making progress thanks to fundraising like Natalie’s.

She said: “I came across them and their story on Facebook and they just stole my heart – he has been through an amazing recovery process.

“I didn’t even realise they were local and then when Geoff was released from hospital they held a fundraising event in South Woodham Ferrers.

“I offered to go and sing and from there we have become really close to them.

“We were going to release the single at his 50th birthday party but that has obviously had to be postponed.”

Natalie co-wrote the song with George Redwood, from Benfleet.

She said: “We hold quite a lot of live events on Facebook and they always do really well and we are always thinking of ways to fundraise so we came up with the idea of writing a single.

“Jo is his full-time carer so we try to do as much fundraising as we can.

“We have done a pre-release this week which has gone absolutely amazing – all the money raised will go towards his rehab.”

Geoff’s wife Jo said: “I can’t even tell you how much Natalie has raised – its probably closed to £2,500 and that’s without this single.

“We have a really good team of fundraisers but Natalie does all the singing fundraising, she did our fun day last August

“Both she and George are amazing, and amazing singers – I cannot thank them enough.”

You Never Know is available now by visiting Geoff’s Journey on Facebook.