Truro Cathedral choristers raised £8,434, nearly 70% more than their original £5,000 target – which will enable Unicef to provide over 10,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses.
Truro Cathedral Choristers celebrate after they smash their VaccinAid fundraising target enabling Unicef to provide 10,000 Covid-19 vaccines in poorer countries
The fundraiser took place as part of the recent Sing2G7 project, when the choristers inspired children across the globe to raise their voices in song to world leaders who were meeting in Cornwall for the G7 summit.
Over 27,000 children in 31 countries, from Australia to Alaska, Japan to Mexico, South Africa to Canada and USA signed up to sing ‘Gee Seven’, written specially for the project by Sir Tim Rice and Peter Hobbs. More than 300 schools across the UK took part as well as countless churches and over 20 cathedrals in the UK and abroad.
All the royalties from the ‘Gee Seven’ single were given to VaccinAid and the Sing2G7 VaccinAid Crowd Funder was launched attracting support from far and wide – including the former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, now the UN Envoy for Education, who sent a personal video message of encouragement to the 1,400 children who joined at the Sing2G7 Mega Zoom across 14 time zones to coincide with the G7 summit in Cornwall last month.
The Very Reverend Roger Bush, Dean of Truro, said:
‘I’m very proud of our choristers. It’s a significant sum they’ve raised for VaccinAid, that really will make a concrete difference in some of the poorest countries in the world. This is a very practical way of loving our neighbour and I’d like to thank everyone who supported the choristers in doing just that.’
‘I can’t quite believe that by singing a song we have enabled 10,000 people to be vaccinated. It’s amazing. Thank you so much to everyone who made a donation,’ said Head Chorister Jacob, 13.
‘I think it’s wonderful that we’ve managed to achieve this. We’ve beaten our target by so much money and those 10,000 vaccines will help protect people’s lives which is really cool.’ Chorister Harris, 9.
‘It’s really exciting to think people thousands of miles away, who couldn’t get vaccines before, will get them now. I feel so proud to have been part of Sing2G7 and to have helped to make this happen,’ Chorister, Trystan, 10.
Sir Tim Rice, Lyricist behind Gee Seven, said:
‘I’m proud to see Truro Cathedral Choristers using their beautiful singing to make a tangible difference in the effort to bring Covid Vaccines to poorer countries as part of UNICEF’s vital VaccinAid appeal.’
‘The choristers have worked so hard this year in really difficult circumstances, bringing much needed joy to children in Cornwall and around the world. They’ve been great ambassadors for Cornwall too and Cornwall can be so proud of what they’ve achieved in both the Sing2G7 project and the VaccinAid appeal. They’ve taken what Greta Thunberg said, ‘No one is too small to make a difference’ to heart and used their musical skills to do just that! ’ said Esmé Page, Co-founder, Sing2G7 and founder Cornwall Hugs.
Steven Waugh, Interim Executive Director at the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), said:
“UNICEF UK is greatly inspired by the dedication and passion of the Truro Cathedral Choristers. Their aim of reaching out and uniting children all over the world with their voices while also supporting VaccinAid is something we are incredibly proud to be a part of.
“Thank you, Truro Cathedral Choristers, for choosing to support this campaign which will help provide Covid-19 vaccines, tests and treatments to vulnerable communities around the world; your efforts will help transform the lives of many families and children and ensure equitable access to the vaccine for all”.
Photo credits: Chris Yacoubian
