Andy MunnsSalisbury Radio have announced the Song for Christmas 2023 winners after 20 local schools competed for this year’s title.
Matt Rogers, did the honours on Saturday, 23rd of December, after the final song had been played.
Each of the songs were played on Salisbury Radio during December, with all of the songs available to download for £1, with proceeds going to Salisbury Hospice Charity. Hundreds have already been downloaded; you can now download the entire collection.
Ten schools also participated in the first-ever Song for Christmas Carol Concerts hosted at Sarum Academy. Almost 300 children took part over the two evenings, singing their Song for Christmas entries and joining together to perform as a mass choir.
Thanks to Magna Learning Partnership offering the Performance Space at Sarum Academy for free, our fundraising total currently stands at £752 from sales of the songs and bucket collections at the concerts.
They were warmly received by an audience of hundreds of their family and friends. The choirs were accompanied by Billy Maton on Piano and Phil Rawnson on Alto Saxophone and led by Helen Rawson, a teacher from Winterbourne Earls Primary School.
Once again this year, the competition was judged by our panel of former headteachers, all of whom have taught and worked in schools in and around Salisbury, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Joy Wagstaff, Jenny Vokes, and Anne Munns listened to all the songs blindly, giving each a score, unaware of which school had performed each song.
Our judges all commented on how high the standard was this year, which was evident in the scores, with only 3 points covering the top five scoring schools.
Runners up
Our second place school, signing Christmas Hallelujah, is Alderbury & West Grimstead Primary School.
They receive £150 in book vouchers – congratulations.
2023 Champions
This year’s winners are WOODLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL with their version of Walking in the Air.
They receive the Song for Christmas Trophy and £250 in book vouchers.
Mr Kitley, head teacher at Woodlands Primary School, told Salisbury Radio, “Well, this is fantastic news, it’s going to mean the world to the children. They have worked so hard. All of our year five and year six form our school choir.
“I am slightly biased, but it is a wonderful version of Walking in the Air.
“It’s going to be a great chance for the children to choose some books they really want.”
Andy Munns, a director at Salisbury Radio, said, “This year, the standard has been so high, every school upped their game. It was a special moment when we recorded the song at Woodlands; the children sang with smiles on their faces and gave it their all – it was so heartwarming.
“We have had an amazing response to the whole of Song for Christmas this year and received support from so many teachers and schools and Magna Learning Partnership who let us use Sarum Academy’s amazing space free of charge.
“We look forward to seeing what the schools sing in 2024 and hopefully more schools taking part; we will find a way to squeeze in as many as we can!”
Listen to the winning song here:
