Inspiring children to be
happy and confident
through music …

Our History and Launch

Voices for Life was established during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 with the vision to inspire children to be happy and confident through the delivery of singing, confidence and wellbeing projects, providing an accessible and creative way for children to enhance their confidence and self-esteem. 

2021

  • Voices for Life launches with a Virtual Children’s Choir to bring hope during the pandemic. Watch the video to see them perform the Wellbeing Song by Jools Scott and Sue Curtis, introduced by Sir John Rutter CBE!
  • The Mayor of Bath becomes our patron.
  • Our flagship ‘Stardust’ singing and wellbeing project launches, bringing together 250 children from primary schools in the Bath and Wiltshire area. All the children came together in October for two exciting performances in Bath Abbey of Stardust by Jools Scott and Sue Curtis and accompanied by the Bristol Ensemble.

2022

  • Recording at Peter Gabriel’s Studios – In April, we welcome 12 children to Real World Studios to record a new commission, We Are Every Child, composed by Francis Faux with lyrics by Jamila Gavin. Watch Dame Emma Kirkby introducing their recording in the video!
  • The first Voices for Life Summer School takes place over 5 days in North Somerset.
  • The Voices for Life Bath Children’s Choir launches in Bath, as they prepare for a debut performance alongside the Noctis Chamber Choir.

2023

  • Voices for Life wins a Bath Life Award for Education – “Provided confidence to over a thousand children from deprived areas, earning sell-out audiences at Bath Abbey.  Clear vision and growth with highly accessible workshops.” (Bath Life Award Winner, 2023)
  • Stardust heads to Wells Cathedral, with 200 children performing alongside Wells Cathedral School musicians and choristers.
  • World premiere of Extraordinary (Jools Scott and Sue Curtis)! Performed by 250 children from Bath primary schools. It then runs in Wiltshire at the Wiltshire Music Centre, with the final performance attended by special guests Lady Lansdowne and the High Sheriff of Wiltshire.

2024

  • Musical Relay of 6000 children – We visited 30 primary schools across Bath & Northeast Somerset and Wiltshire with a 2012 Olympic torch, teaching them our sporting anthem “Let’s Go.” This project culminated in a video sending good luck wishes to Team GB for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
  • Singing for the Queen! Our incredible choir of 90 children from Bath’s most deprived areas are honoured to sing for Her Majesty The Queen and over 500 guests to celebrate St John’s Foundation’s 850th anniversary. Her Majesty also takes the time to meet the children afterwards.

 

  • Debut album released: Extraordinary!, by Jools Scott and Sue Curtis, features 100 children from 9 local schools, many of whom have no prior singing experience. It is recorded in partnership with the Royal High School and Bath Abbey and reaches over 1,500 views and downloads.
Click Here to Listen
  • The Elements premieres at Bath Abbey, performed alongside Extraordinary! 200 children perform Russell Hepplewhite and Jamila Gavin’s new work, alongside BBC Young Chorister of the Year Belinda Gifford-Guy. 
  • Stardust heads to Cornwall, with a spectacular performance at Truro Cathedral. 
  • VFL St Michael’s Junior Choir launches – In light of the significant barriers faced by some of the most deprived communities in our area, we co-launch our first school choir at St Michael’s Junior School in Twerton, where 75% of children are on pupil premium. 

 

2025

  • Stardust on BBC Newsround – Our Stardust performance at Bath Abbey is featured on BBC Newsround for Children’s Mental Health Week. Watch here.
  • Hope premieres at Bath Festivals‘ Party in the City – children from 5 local primary schools perform a brand new song by Jools Scott and Sue Curtis, to a packed Bath Abbey. They are joined by the adult Horizons Choir.
  • Stardust gets a prequel! In Voices for Life’s most ambitious performance yet, 250 children come together to premiere the brand new Stardust prequel, The Space between the Stars, as well as the original Stardust.
  • Our fifth anniversary – To celebrate five years of Voices for Life, we launch ‘Raise the Roof’, a year-long appeal to give 500 children from under-served areas the chance to take part in its projects. Renowned Jazz Musician Jamie Cullum helps to launch it.

2026

  • Online Children’s Mental Health Week assembly reaches over 15,000 children across 22 counties, and 2 countries! Children learn about the importance of belonging and inclusion with Kate Courage’s beautiful song, ‘Under the Same Sky’, to match Place2Be’s theme ‘This is my place’.

 

Robert Drewett DL, The High Sheriff of Somerset

Extraordinary! so well sums up the experience on Friday evening.  Yet another magical performance from all of the children that you had recruited from around the Bath area!  As with Stardust the level of confidence that had been achieved by the children was truly impressive and it brought home the breadth of experience and expertise in your team at Voices for Life. I remain very much in awe of all that you have achieved in such a short period of time and look forward to following the progress of the charity

Class Teacher

I just wanted to pass on a big thank you to everyone involved with Voices for Life the children at St Andrew’s had such an amazing time last week. 

The children are desperate to sing one of their songs for the Leavers assembly the last week of term.  

Our mission is to be a respected leader in education and community sustainability by establishing Voices for Life in every UK nation and region delivering music and wellbeing projects, choirs, and performances.