Sheffield schools and community groups team up with Twinkl to achieve Guinness World Record

Over 380 people sang through four songs to break the record for the ‘most people in a singing relay - multiple songs’, at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre on Thursday, November 7.

Representatives from groups including Cavendish Cancer Care and the Westside Singers as well as pupils from schools such as Ecclesall Primary and Sheffield UTC all participated, with children as young as seven singing along.

They performed well-known Disney hits including ‘Beauty and the Beast’, originally performed by Dame Angela Lansbury for the 1991 film of the same name, ‘Edelweiss’ from The Sound of Music, ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ composed by Elton John for the 1994 animated film The Lion King, ‘Edelweiss’ from The Sound of Music and ‘Hushabye Mountain’ from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – all in time with the original music.

Helen Fulson, Chief Product Officer at Twinkl, said: “We’ve had schools and community groups who all had allocated words. It’s been an absolutely epic level of organisation to give people specific seats and specific words and to have them counted in. My favourite moment was watching a boy sitting cross-legged reading the Guinness Book of Records which he brought with him in his bag. I thought that was brilliant it just captures everything.”

As the Official Education Partner of BBC Children in Need, Twinkl organised the attempt to raise money and awareness for the charity and the projects it supports to help children and young people across the UK.

The record, in which the first person sings the first word of the song, then the person next to them the second, and so on, until the song finishes, was the first time the title had ever been attempted or achieved but based on similar record attempts, Guinness World Records required over 296 people to take part.

It was coordinated by Caroline Hallam, a singing leader from Sheffield Music Hub and a live musical accompaniment was performed by professional musician, teacher and composer, Robert Sanders, from the Rocksteady Music School.

Guinness World Records adjudicator, Pravin Patel was on hand to officiate the attempt.

He was joined by Guinness World record's star-shaped mascot, Ally Zing, and Pudsey Bear.

Craig Glenday, Editor-in-Chief at Guinness World Records, said: “You can find a well-thumbed copy of Guinness World Records in most school libraries, so I’m delighted that Twinkl brought together local schools and children’s choirs for this record attempt in aid of Children in Need. Congratulations on achieving the record and raising money for such a good cause – you’ve now got even more reason to check out the next edition of the book!”