Member Article

Merseyside children perform huge flash mob in Liverpool city centre for BBC Music Day

It was lights, camera, action in Liverpool city centre today (Friday, September 28) as 100 local school children performed a spectacular dance flash mob as ADHD Foundation’s Umbrella Project became the focus of the national BBC Music Day campaign.

With the BBC cameras rolling, pupils from Rainford High gathered on Church Alley underneath the Foundation’s famous canopy of colourful umbrellas, performing a routine to BBC Music Day ambassador, Kylie Minogue’s, Spinning Around. The performance will appear across BBC TV, radio and online.

Now in its fourth year, BBC Music Day aims to bring the country together to celebrate the power of music to change lives, from community music initiatives, to working with big-name musicians through a host of performances and activities planned throughout the country.

Producers became aware of ADHD Foundation’s Umbrella Project following its high-profile launch in the summer. The ground-breaking initiative sees umbrellas suspended over the city centre, each one personally signed by local children stating what their super power is. The aim is to raise awareness of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism, while celebrating the gifts, talents and employability of those living with neurodevelopment conditions.

Dr Tony Lloyd, chief executive, ADHD Foundation, said:

“The Umbrella Project has been a huge success in celebrating and highlighting the skills and talents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders - society’s “invisible disabilities”. The project aims to introduce children to the concept of ‘neurodiversity’ and challenge a narrow view of intelligence so that those who have ADHD, autism, dyslexia and other learning impairments are recognised as being just as talented, gifted and employable as those without.

“When we were approached by BBC Music Day to get involved, we jumped at the chance, as both campaigns share very similar values. I would like to thank Rainford High and MD Productions for pulling this together. The children were absolutely fantastic and clearly enjoyed themselves.”

Ian Young, principal of Rainford High, said:

“We are delighted to be involved in BBC Music Day alongside the ADHD Foundation and other partners. It reflects our school ethos of Everyone Matters, Everyone Helps and Everyone Succeeds. It also shows our commitment as a school to the arts, supporting students with challenges and supporting the diversity of our community, embodying the idea that everyone matters.

“This is the start of working increasingly closely with the ADHD Foundation to support our students and families to ensure that everyone succeeds across the full breadth of school life.”

Launched in 2017 in Liverpool, the Umbrella Project expanded in 2018 with umbrellas also suspended at BBC North, MediaCityUK, Salford Quays.

The Umbrella Project comes thanks to the support of sponsors Equazen, makers of clinically proven brain health omega 3 & 6 supplements, Liverpool City Council, The Witherslack Group Alternative Education Providers, Cash for Kids, and Printkick.

There are over 500,000 school age children with ADHD in the UK and over 60,000 children with autism. The foundation aims to promote and improve the mental health outcomes, educational attainment, employability, social inclusion and life chances of children, young people and adults affected by ADHD through early intervention, with a range of training and therapies.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Richards .