Salisbury schools invited to take part in Song for Christmas 2024

Back for its third year, Salisbury Radio's Song for Christmas is open to all local primary-aged schools, and is again being run in partnership with Elite Care of Salisbury.

 The winning school will have £250 in book vouchers to spend on brand new books for their school library, and the first runners-up will also receive £150 in vouchers.

Last year, 20 primary and infant schools took part, and this year, there is room for more.

It is hoped a brand new song will be played every day in December up until the winner is announced on Christmas Eve.

Woodlands Primary School won last year's competition with its rendition of 'Walking in the Air'.

Woodfalls voucher presentation with Anne Munns (Image: Salisbury Radio/Andy Munns)

The performance  narrowly pipped Alderbury & West Grimstead Primary School into second place.

For the competition, Salisbury Radio visits each participating school to record that school's 'Song for Christmas'.

The radio station then plays one song a day during December in the run-up to Christmas.

They assemble a panel of judges made up of former local head teachers who listen to the songs blind.

They don't know which school has sung each song, so they give each a score.

The song with the highest score wins the competition. Once again, Salisbury Radio is also organising two carol concerts for the local schools to perform in.

These will take place at Sarum Academy in mid-December in the large performance hall at the secondary school on Bemerton Heath.

Andy Munns from Salisbury Radio said: "This is one of the best things we do each year. It's so much fun and helps spread some festive joy across Salisbury, South Wiltshire, and West Hampshire.

"We had such a lovely variety of songs last year, and you can hear how much fun the children have when we record their songs. The concerts last year were excellent; we hope to improve them this year, too.

"I have to say a massive thank you to Magna Learning Partnership and Sarum Academy, who allowed us to use their facilities for the concerts, and also to the schools for bringing the magic with their take on Christmas songs—it's amazing!"

During the competition, Song for Christmas will make all the songs available for download for a donation of £1; this, combined with the money collected at the carol concerts, will be donated to Salisbury Foodbank.

Andy added: "This is a community event, and it's important to us that we use it to do good for the community, too. It will be great to do a little extra to support Salisbury's foodbanks at one of their busiest times of the year."

Schools can sign up here - https://www.salisburyradio.co.uk/song-for-christmas