A mum from Chorlton has released a charity single with students from schools across Greater Manchester to raise money for Ukraine. Laurenne Chapman, a fundraiser at the University of Manchester began offering singing and piano lessons to children during the lockdowns and found it to be a great way to help kids with their mental health.
After the lockdowns, Laurenne continued to offer lessons. She explained that her daughter was worried about the war in Ukraine and wanted to help. To Laurenne, getting together a group of pupils and releasing a charity single was a no-brainer.
She said: “There’s an anti-war song by Pete Seegar called Where have all the flowers gone. I was just really impacted by everything that’s going on in Ukraine and so was my daughter, who’s nine, she’s been quite worried about it and so have her friends.
“I’ve got some music pupils as well, singing pupils and I thought to get them to do something positive for their mental health.
“After Covid and everything, the lockdowns, and now with the war, I’m worrying as a mother about her mental health and of my pupils as well. Music is just a really good way of bringing them together and to help them feel like they’re actually doing something.
“They’re raising money for children and families in Ukraine. We just want to raise as much money as possible and to encourage other young children, if they’re worrying about it, to do stuff.
“I taught the song to the children over a week, some of them are my pupils, some of them are Amelia’s friends and they learnt it so quickly. Honestly, they were amazing.”
The group then recorded the cover song in a recording studio in Chorlton, before another parent created a video to go alongside the single.
Amelia Chapman-Clark, Laurenne’s daughter who is nine, attends the Brookburn school in Chorlton explained why she got involved with the charity single. She said: “I'm worried about all the people in Ukraine, especially people with no money.
“I want to raise so much money to send them food and also big suitcases so they can take more things from their house when they go to Poland and other places. I want to buy them warm jumpers and blankets as well." Meanwhile, for Adrianna Szwec, a 10 year-old pupil at the New Islington free school, it was important to get involved as her grandmother lives in Poland and she is proud she can help in some way.
She said: “I got involved in this song because I want to help raise money for the families that have escaped Ukraine. I also wanted to show them they are not alone.
“It makes me feel bright and a bit proud of myself that I’m helping people that are in danger or not in a safe environment.
“I think raising money is very important especially to people in need without their basic needs that every human needs. With my grandma living in Poland and being neighbours with Ukraine, I feel like Poland has been with Ukraine the most including Ukraine’s other neighbours.”
Millie Telfer, who is in year eight at Chorlton High, wanted to take part because she wanted to help the those in Ukraine. She said: "We wanted to raise money to help the families in Ukraine. [I'm] happy and proud that we're taking action to help, everyone is the same and we should help others if they need it.
Xiya Zhao, 11 years-old and studying at Urmston Grammar school said: “I got involved with this song because I enjoy singing and doing that for a good cause is even better.
“To raise money for refugees is to me a great feeling as it helps people get the resources they need and it is also very fun. Raising money for charities is important as it helps those less fortunate than ourselves, and you can change peoples' lives. Plus, you can have lots of fun while doing it too.”
Xiya’s sister, Sinya is 10 years-old and is a pupil at Ashbury Meadow primary school, said: “I did it because it's literally fun. It is important because the poor people get extra support and help to keep them alive.”
To listen to the song: Pete Seeger’s Where Have All The Flowers Gone, covered by children across Manchester, please click here.
To donate to Manchester Kids' DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Fundraising Page and support the singing group and their charity single, please click here.
Read more: Boris Johnson vowed UK will lead Kyiv rebuild, says Ukraine President Zelensky
Read more: More than 200 visas issued so far to Ukrainians to come to Greater Manchester
