AN initiative to encourage schoolchildren across Worcestershire to take up singing has received a £25,000 cash boost.

Worcester-based Singworks has been given the money to put singing back into the hearts and minds of the county's schools.

The money comes from Sing Up - the government-backed programme to return singing to classrooms and create musical opportunities for every primary school child in the country.

Singworks is now one of 19 nationwide Hearts and Minds projects included in the Sing Up programme.

Hearts and Minds are short-term projects designed to have an immediate effect on the lives of young people through sustainable singing activity with children that is supported by workforce skills development and training for teachers and music leaders.

National singing ambassador and composer Howard Goodall said: "Music has in the past been seen all too often as an optional extra, a non-essential part of a child's education. The Government getting behind music in this way makes real the prospect of vibrant music-making across the nation - both inside and outside our schools."

Singworks will use its Sing Up funding to offer three projects: Notes and Ropes, a project introducing primary-aged children to singing through play; Boys' Singing Week, a project to encourage boys attending Bromsgrove middle schools to identify themselves as singers; and a project across the county using Melody Monkey's Marvellous Music Box with early years and primary-aged children with special educational needs.

A spokesman for Singworks said: "While of course being a lot of fun, the benefits of singing regularly are many. It aids breathing, posture and general well being. It helps with the development of discipline, social and communication skills; it can build both confidence and character, encourages team work, school attendance and has also been shown to actually boost IQ."

The investment in singing is part of a wider government commitment to provide £316 million to support music making in schools over the next three years.