Jan 2016 - Mayors Schools Euro Vision Song Contest

Tuesday 26th Jan 2016

The Darlington Civic Theatre was full to welcome 345 pupils from 23 primary schools to the Eurovision Song Contest, part of the Mayor’s themed year 'Darlington International'. Each school had sent 2 pupils to the Council Chamber in October where lots were drawn to decide which country each school would represent. Durham Music Service then provided the songs with discs so that they could practice before the big night. Schools were also asked to involve all of their pupils in learning about the country they would represent, and the Mayor and Mayoress, Tom and Gill Nutt, visited some schools to see the great efforts they had made in doing this.

What a wonderful evening it was, of singing and dancing, beautiful costumes, and the tremendous enjoyment of those taking part on the stage of this lovely theatre. For the Judges it was a difficult decision to choose the winners- in 3rd place were Polam Hall, representing Greece with  The White Rose of Athens, in second place were Abbey Federation representing Italy with Its Now or Never, and the worthy winners representing Sweden were St. George’s CE with Frog Dance.

Thanks go to our fantastic compere Peter Barron, editor of the Northern Echo, to the judges Ian Robinson from Darlington and Durham Music Service, Maura Regan - Citizen of the Year, Councillor Cyndi Hughes, Val MacConachie-Soprano  and Caroline Darnbrook - General manager at Darlington Building Society who generously sponsored the event. Also to the organisers, Marion Ogle from DBC, teachers and heads from the schools, and the man who brought it all together with his planning and tremendous hard work, Peter King, Head of Mowden Federation. And to anyone I have left out!  We must do it again!

Report by Tom Nutt