The official video for Anti-Bullying Week 2020 will premiere at 4pm on Tuesday November 3rd on YOUTUBE.
Recorded by CBeebies presenter Andy Day and his band Andy and the Odd Socks, the cover of Sham 69’s ‘The Kids Are United’ features Princess K (who shared the stage with Stormzy at Glastonbury 2019) and the Libera Choir with all proceeds going to the Anti-Bullying Alliance.
Anti-Bullying Week 2020 will take place from Monday 16th November – Friday 20th November 2020. The theme is United Against Bullying and the week will start with Odd Socks Day on Monday November 16th. Odd Socks Day is an opportunity to encourage people to express themselves and celebrate their individuality and what makes us all unique.
Stars of CBBC’s ‘Andy and the Band’ series, Andy and the Odd Socks have joined forces with the Anti-Bullying Alliance for the fourth consecutive year to issue a rallying cry to the nation’s children to unite against bullying. Each year the band write and record a song around the Anti-Bullying Alliance’s chosen theme, and this is incorporated within the education materials provided to schools. This year, Andy and the Odd Socks have chosen to record a version of Sham 69’s ‘The Kids Are United’.
The track features additional lyrics performed by Princess K (also known for her debut performance at Glastonbury with Stormzy) and is inspired by conversations with school children conducted by the band over Zoom ahead of the Summer break; conversations which also highlighted that, following months of home schooling, there are those feeling anxious or afraid of the return due to the issues Anti-Bullying Week is here to address.
It also features the angelic voices of the Libera Choir, a world-renowned choir made up of boys aged 7 – 16 years from various South London schools and all walks of life.
Andy and the band also relied upon the skills of teachers from schools all over the country to film the children who took part in the video. Over 750 clips of children dancing and singing were submitted to be included in the video!
“This is my favourite song and video we have made for Odd Socks Day as part of Anti-Bullying Week so far.” said Andy Day. “It’s a cover of Sham 69’s ‘The Kids Are United’ but with an Odd Socks twist! To have the amazing Princess K and her brothers feature and the brilliant Libera International Boys Choir really makes it special. Some of the lyrics were inspired by Zoom calls the band and I did with school kids who told us what United Against Bullying meant to them. Hundreds of school kids and teachers sent us the clips of them dancing to the track, all filmed in their bubbles. This was truly collaborative and creative and made in challenging times and we are so unbelievably proud of it. It feels very emotional.”
