Children sing to bring joy to elderly people stuck in virus isolation

Granada
Friday 20 March 2020 at 12:48pm

Hundreds of primary school pupils took to their playground to perform for older residents isolating from coronavirus in the flats opposite.

Almost 200 people in years 4, 5 and 6 at Silver Springs Primary Academy sang songs from their school grounds so that the elderly residents living in Kendal House sheltered housing could watch them and listen.

They put a sign up outside the Stalybridge school beforehand urging them to 'watch this space 2pm today'.

And they've also been busy writing letters and drawing pictures for the residents - who are facing months of isolation because they are deemed among the most vulnerable - urging them to 'be happy not sad' and to 'think of all the good things'.

Among the songs sang by the pupils were Something Inside So Strong, True Colours, Sing and Rather Be.

Credit: MEN Syndication

We were really conscious about how our local residents must be feeling having to be socially distant or in self-isolation. "The children in Year 5 and 6 were writing letters to people in isolation and to NHS workers to thank them for their courage and dedication, which inspired me to want to do something more. "We are overlooked by residents in Kendal House, who love to see and hear our children playing and that’s when I thought, 'well we’re really good at singing – let’s do an impromptu concert'. One word to my wonderful musical maestro and it was happening. "We wanted to let the residents know about it and so put up the banner in full view. We love to sing at Silver Spring and the children always sing with such passion. We are not an operatic choir but we have a lot of soul." "Everyone agreed that it would be a great way to raise everyone’s spirits. I hope that the residents enjoyed it, I know they will miss seeing the children when we have to close our gates. And if the media coverage extends our reach to the wider community then all the better that our message of hope and courage goes out to even more people in need of it in these unprecedented and uncertain times."