Toddlers to show off their musical talent

Tiny tots and young children up to the age of five will display their musical virtuoso talents on the tambourine, drums and cymbals - or any instrument which makes the most noise!

The children will be performing in the premiere of ‘Big Jo and the Jingles’ charity event on March 12 in the King’s Hall Conference Centre. The conert has been organised by the Jo Jingles organisation to raise money for the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children’s MRI Scanner Appeal.

“Jo Jingles is a UK franchise which provides fun and educational music, singing and movement classes for babies and young children,” explains Karen Welsh, event organiser, who has been running classes in the Lisburn area since 2002.

“There are Jo Jingles classes all over Northern Ireland and to celebrate the 15th birthday of the franchise we decided to hold this fund-raising charity event for our members. The MRI Scanner Appeal is something we all wanted to support as it relates to children province-wide.”

The Royal is the only children’s hospital in the UK without a dedicated MRI scanner and the sophisticated equipment is seen as a necessity in assisting in diagnosis and treatment of many different types of diseases suffered by children, including disorders of the brain, heart and kidneys and diagnosis of cancer.

“Some children even have to travel outside of Northern Ireland to receive a scan, so if we can help in any small way to raise money for the Scanner Appeal, our event will have been a huge success,” added Karen.

At the King’s Hall, children from classes in Banbridge, Dromore and Dromara will join in the music and singing action songs alongside parents and grandparents who will also be encouraged to take to the stage in the fun event.

“Music has an enormous part to play in a child’s early development and there is growing evidence that it can also help at a later stage with subjects as diverse as mathematics, foreign languages and scientific problem- solving,” added Karen, a qualified infants’ teacher of 16 years experience. “Our charity event will not only be a fun-filled afternoon, but will also give parents the chance to meet and chat with others from classes all over Northern Ireland.”

And lending a helping hand on the day will be ‘Big Jo’, the Jo Jingles toy character which is familiar at all the Jo Jingles classes. He will put in an appearance at two separate two-hour long performances - at 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

Some tickets are still available and anyone who would like to find out more should contact Karen on 028 9266 8866 or email [email protected]

Further information about Jo Jingles can be found at www.jojingles.com/lisburn