Voices for Life was delighted to welcome BBC Newsround to its 7th Stardust Concert in Bath Abbey last Wednesday, which featured a chorus of 200 children from six local primary schools and the Voices for Life Bath Children’s Choir.
The BBC’s visit came ahead of Children’s Mental Health Week (3rd – 9th February), an initiative set up by children’s mental health charity Place2Be to raise awareness of issues surrounding children and young people’s wellbeing.
Investigating singing’s benefits for children’s happiness in a Children’s Mental Health Week bulletin, the Newsround team was drawn to Stardust’s innovative wellbeing focus. As Voices for Life’s flagship project, it was specially commissioned by the charity and written by composer Jools Scott and librettist Sue Curtis.
With its playful intergalactic storyline, it teaches children how to cope with unhelpful ‘feeling planets’ such as anger and fear, en-route to their ‘happy planet’ Zarg.
Speaking in an interview with Newsround, one young soloist singing in the concert said, “Singing is really good for my mental health because it takes my mind away from other things. And it’s a great way to express your feeling and emotions.”
The positive impact on children participating in Voices for Life’s projects is significant: in 2024, 75% showed increased confidence, while 70% improved their ability to build healthy relationships with their peers.
Besides the BBC, Voices for Life was also delighted to see its ambassadors, Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset Edward Bayntun-Coward and High Sheriff of Somerset, Robert Beckley, among the 500 audience members.
Schools participating in the project included Castle Primary School, St Mary’s Primary School, St Michael’s Junior School, St Martin’s Garden School, Roundhill Primary School and St Keyna Primary School. The children were also joined by soloists from Stagecoach Bath, musical director Pete Harrison, narrator John Telfer (The Archers) and the Bristol Ensemble.
A Makaton sign language accompaniment was provided thanks to Norland College.
Another Stardust concert will be held soon at St George’s Bristol on the 26th March, 6:30-7:30pm, with tickets available at https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/whats-on/voices-for-life-2/
The BBC Newsround Bulletin is available on its website at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/cd0j3x275dzo
For more information on Voices for Life, visit https://voicesforlife.org.uk/
