Schools given funding to celebrate Eurovision

King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, unveiled the Eurovison set earlier

Several schools in the Liverpool area are celebrating being awarded grants to mark the city's "once in a lifetime" staging of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Liverpool is hosting the competition on behalf of war-torn Ukraine next month.

EuroGrant funding of up to £2,000 has been given to 27 schools for events to commemorate the event, the city's relationship with Ukraine and its European heritage.

Staff at a school in Formby said they were "delighted" to receive cash to celebrate such a "weird and wonderful" event.

The King and Queen Consort visited the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool earlier where the event will be held and unveiled the set.

Schools from across Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Halton, St Helens and Knowsley were invited by Spirit of 2012, Liverpool City Council's Culture Liverpool team, to apply for the grants.

Among the successful schools is Our Lady of Compassion Catholic Primary School in Formby.

Each class will represent a country taking part in this year's contest, and will be responsible for making local cuisine from their country which will be shared at a European street food market.

The school will also perform "We all live in a blue and yellow submarine", in a twist of the Beatles song in tribute to Ukraine.

Incredible for pupils

Rachel Farrell, a teacher at the school, said the funding would help them "to realise our ideas".

"We want children to understand the significance of such a weird and wonderful event being held in our city and appreciate this truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"The opportunity to celebrate a contest that is based on individuality and celebrating diversity will be incredible for our pupils."

Pupils at St Charles' Catholic Primary School in Liverpool will create music videos.

Claire McColgan CBE, director of Culture Liverpool, said: "If there's one thing we know the schools across Liverpool City Region have in abundance, it's creativity and we weren't disappointed with their applications.

"The successful projects provide an opportunity for children to learn about different cultures though music, fashion, food, dance, drama, visual art, filmmaking and much more.

"Young people from nurseries to secondary schools will not only have a chance to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration which will see their hometown host the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine, but they'll also pick up some new skills along the way."

Artist Mae Muller will represent the United Kingdom at the song contest.

Liverpool will host the final on 13 May, following two semi-finals earlier in the week.