Children’s musicians pay visit to school
CHURCHTOWN Primary received a very special visit from music act for children Andy and the Odd Socks as lucky winners of the 2019 Odd Socks Day competition.
In aid of Odd Socks Day on November 12 last year, schools around the country donned their wackiest odd socks to celebrate individuality.
All money raised went to the Anti Bullying Alliance, the charity that organises the day and aims to tackle bullying by encouraging others to think twice about their actions, words and attitudes towards others.
The competition, held throughout Anti-Bullying Week, saw Churchtown Primary crowned as winners for their efforts in raising awareness about the day, encouraging pupils and teachers alike to show off their brightest odd socks with pride.
As part of their prize, the school won a surprise performance on January 21 by Andy and the Odd Socks, ambassadors of Odd Socks Day, who champion the campaign each year.
In 2019, the rockers released an official song to embody the Anti Bullying Week campaign titled Change, with catchy lyrics encouraging kids to embrace and celebrate their differences.
Previewing songs from their new album, Who’s In The Odd Socks?, the band played to excited Year 1, 2 and 3 pupils at Churchtown Primary before the start of their 2020 spring tour around the UK, with tickets still available at Liverpool Epstein Theatre.
The youngsters danced along to songs from the album, such as Choose Respect, Unique and of course, the band’s anthem, Who’s In The Odd Socks?.
Fifty per cent of schools in England took part in the Odd Socks Day initiative across the country in 2019, reaching more than 13,400 schools and a total of 5.3 million pupils and teachers.
This increased from 41% of UK schools in 2018, with Andy and the Odd Socks continuing to spread the message and increasingly make it their mission to raise awareness of anti-bullying amongst primary school aged children through music and unity.
Fronted by the popular Cbeebies presenter, Andy Day, Andy and the Odd Socks have played over 100 shows including festivals such as Glastonbury and Camp Bestival.
Speaking on their visit, Andy said: “It was so special to visit Southport this week and to meet so many excited kids.
“The pupils at Churchtown Primary showed such dedication towards Odd Socks Day and are incredibly worthy winners.
“We hope each child enjoyed the performance as much as we did, and we can’t wait to see a few familiar faces joining us on tour.”
Jinnie Payne, head teacher of the school, said: “We are very passionate about taking part in Anti-Bullying Week each year, participating in Odd Socks Day is a way to make the day fun, while tackling serious issues.
“We were so excited to hear that we’d won a special performance from Andy and the Odd Socks, it’s not just the kids here who have thoroughly enjoyed today.”
The band are set for a busy year in 2020, with their brand-new TV Show, Andy and the band launching on BBC iPlayer early this year.
Who’s In The Odd Socks?, the newest album from Andy and the Odd Socks, is available to order now, before its April 3 release and will include 17 new songs, including many songs from the TV Show.
Tickets for the Andy and the Odd Socks 2020 live shows, taking place across April and May are on general sale now, priced at £15 (plus booking fee).
For further information and to access the official store, visit andyandtheoddsocks.com.
AS the second largest city in Norway, Bergen is seated in between the breath-takingly picturesque Seven Mountains and stunning fjords. Catch one of Wideroe’s weekly flights from Liverpool and experience all that Bergen has to offer.
Whether it is the iconic colourful façade of Bryggen or the breathtaking fjords, you won’t be amiss of gorgeous scenery allowing for a stunning backdrop to those allimportant holiday snaps.
The eye-catching colourful houses of Bryggen are a crucial part of Bergen’s cultural heritage, as well as being an UNESCO World Heritage site.
This is a great part of Bergen to start your visit to this culturally rich area of Norway, where you can wander around local shops and restaurants, as well as visiting a small museum which will teach you about the history of the city.
The fjord’s themselves are worth a whole day to immerse yourself in. Jump onto one of the many cruises and take either a long tour along the Norwegian coast, or a simple day trip that gives you a glimpse to this spectacular setting.
You can’t visit Bergen without taking advantage of it’s ‘gates’, the seven mountains, which has given it the nickname of the ‘city of the seven mountains’.
The only challenge you will have then is deciding whether you will hike up these beautiful mountains or catch the funicular up. Once up there you will be rewarded with a once-in-a-lifetime view of Bergen!
The connections to the coast open Bergen up to a delicious array of fresh seafood and fish.
One of the most famous examples of this is the buzzy fish market that offers a selection of fish, shellfish and other fresh food as well as a few craft stalls.
Located in the middle of the city centre, this is a great stop whilst you check out the rest of the city and will help you with your appetite after a busy day of exploring.
To add to the beautiful scenery, step back and immerse yourself in the rich heritage of Bergen which is all reflected in the unique architecture dotted around the city.
One of these breath-taking architectural pieces is the Fantoft Stave Church which was originally built in 1150.
After being burnt down in 1992, it was rebuilt in its original form hailing the original Norwegian style of art and design.
What about a mix of original architecture and beautiful music? The Troldhaugen was the home of Norway’s most famous composer Edvard Grieg.
As well as his house now being a fascinating museum about his life, it has also been transformed into a concert hall.
One of the best museums for art, design and music is the KODE Art Museum. Spread across the whole of Bergen, a collection of artists’ homes and external buildings house temporary and permanent collections of art, all offering a diverse mix of art and culture.
Booking flights from your local, regional airport couldn’t be easier!
Book now from Liverpool with Wideroe with weekly flights going out: www.wideroe.no/en
Find out even more about the destination on Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s website: www.liverpoolairport.com/ destinations/bergen-norway