Seventy Seven to aid singing campaign

The Sing Up campaign kicked off last week with the aim of putting singing at the heart of every primary school in England by 2011. Fishburn Hedges agency Seventy Seven has signed up pop singer Jamelia to promote the ­campaign.

The six-strong team led by director James Gordon-Macintosh was called in for the six-figure campaign in November.

As part of the drive, Seventy Seven is to set up nat-ionwide singing competitions and roadshows.

The agency will focus on national newspapers, ­specialist education publications and consumer media.

Seventy Seven consultant Gareth Steel said: ‘The key issue is promoting the benefits of singing to children, not just for educational purposes but to boost their confidence. It is not just about an X Factor-style search for talent, it is about showing that ­everyone can get something out of it.’

Sing Up is being managed by a consortium led by national charity Youth Music, which receives National Lottery funding through Arts Council England.

Sing Up includes online resources and training for teachers. The website, www.singup.org, features a songbook of new and traditional songs and is supported by a magazine and CD materials, available free to all schools.