Tottenham school releases celebrity-backed riot song

Pupils from a Tottenham school have released a song composed in the aftermath of last year's riots.

Everybody Dreams was written by children from Gladesmore Community School in north London in response to the negative image of their area.

The song has received backing from more than 100 celebrities, including DJ Chris Moyles, and has been remixed by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics.

Teachers hope to establish a school orchestra with the proceeds from sales.

Council's hold music

Deputy head teacher Juliet Coley said the children's ambition from the start had been for the song to reach number one once it goes on general release on Monday, but she added that it was up against Justin Bieber's As Long As You Love Me.

The reach of the song has astounded Ms Coley.

Deputy head teacher Juliet Coley said her pupils saw burnt out cars after the riots

It has been sung by London Mayor Boris Johnson while he was on a visit to the school, it is being used as Haringey Council's hold music, the single will be played at Tottenham Hotspur FC's first game next weekend and Stephen Fry has tweeted his four million followers encouraging them to buy it.

The song has been backed by celebrities from Nigerian rapper Wizkid to comedians Jennifer Saunders and Ricky Gervais.

The family of Mark Duggan who was shot by police on 4 August in Tottenham sparking the 2011 summer riots has also backed the single.

It is also backed by the Metropolitan Police, with PC Ken Egbuniwe taking part in the video.

'It's surreal'

On 7 August last year, petrol bombs were thrown at police, cars were set on fire and buildings were looted.

Ms Coley explained that the desire to correct the public's impression of Tottenham inspired the children.

She said: "When the kids came back to school after the riots they were really upset by images in the media.

"The riots started in Tottenham and it was the last place that got cleaned up.

"You could still see the debris and burnt out parked cars.

"The idea of a song came up because they thought it could move people.

"We wanted to give the kids aspirations to think big and think anything is possible."

But the success of the song has surprised everyone involved.

"On pre-orders we are at 33 in the album chart. One Direction's at 31. It's surreal," Ms Coley said.

She hopes the proceeds from the sale of the single can be used to fund a school orchestra, anticipated to cost at least £20,000.

"We want to do something beyond the expectation of kids in Tottenham," Ms Coley said.

"We want to make classical music in an urban setting but that costs and we've never been able to afford it."