Lowestoft youth group releases Christmas single for mental health charity

Young people receiving free music therapy have released their own charity Christmas single to raise awareness of mental health issues.

The 15 youngsters in the Strike A Chord project, aged 12 to 19, have written and performed the song The Winter’s Night.

Access Community Trust, which runs the project, will receive all money raised from the single’s release.

Producer Joshua Freemantle said the group would appreciate “any support”.

The trust provides a range of holistic support to young people across Suffolk.

It co-produced the group with youth mental health workers from Lowestoft’s young persons’ hub, The Junction, and community production company Sunrise Studios.

As part of the project, young people have also had the opportunity to experiment with writing music and learning to play instruments.

Emma Ratzer, CEO of Access Community Trust, said: “It’s such a fantastic service. We are proud to be able to host such a beneficial and positive project within the hub, which is supporting 15 young people in weekly sessions with their wellbeing, self-esteem, and confidence with performing and learning in music”.

The single is available on all major streaming platforms and has been downloaded more than 500 times since its release on 1 December.

“We know times are tough, and we would appreciate any support people can give, either through making a small donation, sharing our story, or streaming/downloading the single,” added Mr Freemantle.

“The song is eligible for the UK charts and we know that making it to the top 100 would mean so much to them.”