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Children at a Nottingham Primary school have written and recorded a song to raise awareness about homelessness in the city.
Pupils from Scotholme Primary and Nursery School in Hyson Green, have given a local twist to the classic Ralph McTell song to produce Streets of Nottingham.
The children recently performed the song in public for the first time when presenting Framework with £250 they’d raised from a recent cake sale.
Headteacher Kate Hall explained: “The idea to support Framework came from a pupil in year six. Sadly homelessness is something our children see all too often on our streets, and they decided to do something about it. First we had a cake sale, then we thought we’d do something else to develop things further.
“Over the last 18 months we have also been working hard to develop the children’s interest in music. We want them to explore and understand complex social issues like homelessness, so this project seemed the perfect fit. The children listened to the original song and then worked to adapt the lyrics to Nottingham. After hearing the children perform the finished product I am immensely proud of their hard work and dedication.”
Framework Services Director Lisa Del Buono said: “Not only were we really touched by this wonderful gesture, we were also hugely impressed by the amazing performance of the children. They literally walked through a snow flurry to come and sing for us last week – complete with keyboards and even a drum kit – and that level of commitment means a very great deal to us.
“They were also really really good! Their singing was fantastic and we were really impressed by the way they played their instruments. It was a really special moment and it’s no exaggeration to say there was a tear or two in the audience!”
Streets of Nottingham – the lyrics
Have you seen the people on the streets of Nottingham?
Nowhere to go and no place to call home
Sleeping on the floor, no comfort and thin blankets
Living under cardboard and feeling all alone
So how can you tell me they’re not lonely
And say for them the sun will shine?
Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of our city
I’ll show you something that will make you change your mind
Have you seen the people who live on the streets of Nottingham?
Heartbroken, sad, isolated and alone
They’ve no place for possessions
No cosy warm safe place
No one to love and nowhere to call home
So how can you tell me they’re not lonely
And say for them the sun will shine?
Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of our city
I’ll show you something to make you change your mind
Have you seen the people who live on the streets of Nottingham?
No one who cares and invisible inside
People just walk past them, no time for understanding
Mournful and anxious, no feelings left of pride
So now we can tell you we feel angry
And we feel this is wrong
Come and join together, and change the world around us
Empower each other, together we are strong
