Listen to thousands of schoolchildren take part in virtual Christmas choir event to raise your Christmas spirit

Singing ‘Angels We Have Heard On High’, around 2,000 children from a dozen schools across Sunderland, South Tyneside and East Durham took part in the digital event.

Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust has also created a music video for the carol to show “what Christmas means to North East children and how the power of hope and togetherness” can help schools and their communities get through tough times.

Commenting on the initiative, Brendan Tapping, Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust’s CEO, said: “In what is a truly unique and challenging time for education, we wanted to bring together our schools and show the importance of togetherness, fortitude, and community, especially at Christmas.

“These values, as well as the ethos of Christianity, unite us all during times where we must remain resilient to provide positive, engaged learning.

“The carol has a specifically important meaning coming from Bishop Chadwick himself. The children worked incredibly hard and each played an important role in creating the song which sounds wonderful.

“Thank you to everyone including our teachers, our families and of course Mike for their work in bringing together the choir which, with thousands of children across different locations, was no mean feat.”

Local musician and singer, Mike Mcgrother, worked closely with the schools to put together the virtual choir. He visited each school individually and oversaw the recording of their respective carol renditions.

The virtual choir work forms part of the trust’s wider ‘Journeys of Hope’ project, which aims to demonstrate how young people and their families can adapt to the current challenges facing schools.

Further activities linked to the scheme are expected to take place over the course of next year’s school term.

Commenting on the carol-singers’ efforts, Mr Mcgrother said: “It really is a tough time for everyone at the moment, so we wanted to do something to not just raise spirits but show how important strong communities are in overcoming adversity.

“The children worked so hard in learning the lyrics and hitting the right notes - they did a cracking job and it was great to visually depict what Christmas means to each child too, either at home or at school.”

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