A NEW CHARITY INITIATIVE SUPPORTING
HIGHGATE PRIMARY SCHOOL IN NORTH LONDON
THE HIGHGATE PRIMARY SCHOOL CHOIR’S VERSION OF THE BEATLES’ ‘WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS’ IS COMING SOON – FEATURING AN INTRO BY LIAM GALLAGHER
LISTEN HERE
WATCH VIDEO HERE
Artwork by Helen Green & Stuart Crouch Creative here
Between austerity politics and the cost of living crisis, schools all over the country are facing mounting financial pressure – and it’s ultimately the children who suffer, with tighter budgets and reduced funding drastically limiting their educational opportunities. As a result, music industry executives, parent & aunty and twin sisters Katie and Debbie Gwyther have founded the new charity initiative GOODSTOCK to raise much-needed funds for their children’s school Highgate Primary School in north London.
As co-founders of the management and PR company FEAR, the Gwythers work with high profile artists. Drawing on their experience and expertise, the duo called upon the music industry community to make GOODSTOCK a reality. As a result, GOODSTOCK are currently preparing to release a new version of The Beatles’ classic ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ – recorded by the Highgate Primary Choir in an attempt to raise money for the school.
The song features a spoken word introduction by Liam Gallagher who lives locally and has a nephew at the school.
The children enjoyed a day to remember when they recorded the song at The Church Studios, one of London’s most renowned and beautiful recording studios, which is owned by the multiple Grammy Award winner Paul Epworth (Adele, Florence + The Machine, London Grammar). The track was recorded by the drum ‘n’ bass duo turned top tier songwriters/producers FUTURE CUT (PinkPantheress, Lily Allen, Olly Murs).
The Gwythers hit upon the idea behind GOODSTOCK after seeing how much difference Highgate Primary made to the community, witnessing how it helped so many children flourish after previous struggles in the education system. Working in partnership with Blanche Nevile School for the Deaf and Highgate Family Centre, the school excels at helping children with autism, ADHD, Down’s syndrome and deafness by playing to their strengths, utilising a range of different therapists, and encouraging children’s creativity through music, arts and sports. With the government cutting funding, the school is struggling financially, and this single release is an attempt to bring the local communtity to come together and raise much needed funds for the children. Highgate Primary in particular helps a lot of neuro diverse children and further financial cuts will have a devestating effects on their mental health.
Christopher Eccleston lives locally and has stepped up to become an official ambassador of the GOODSTOCK project. He has experience of the excellent work that the school does and is well versed in the needs of neurodiverse children after his work on the BBC television drama The A Word. He is available for interview along with the co-head teachers William Dean and Rebecca Lewis:
‘”At Highgate Primary we pride ourselves on our genuinely inclusive ethos, but inclusion comes with a financial cost. With school and SEN funding as it is, maintaining great provision requires creative approaches. The opportunity for our children to work with industry professionals at The Church Studios on such an exciting project has been a fantastic experience for everyone involved – and knowing that any money that is raised will support children to get the support they need, makes this project even more special.”
In addition to the single, GOODSTOCK has set up a Just Giving Page where you can donate here
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