Chorley mum opens new performing arts school for the boroughs 'little voices'

Throughout lockdown, Little Voices have been running online classes to continue supporting the mental health of young children in the borough who were impacted by the pandemic.

Now, Rachel Bradshaw, from Buckshaw Village, has taken the plunge and bought a permanent premises for the performing arts school after their rented venues told them they couldn't return due to Covid-19.

A range of performing arts lessons and video workshops aimed to help children across the borough with their mental health, with over 50 free trial lessons being snatched by parents over the last weekend.

She said: "This is going to be our first ever own school in the area because previously we have rented a convenient space to use. We felt we needed to do it because our online sessions were so popular in lockdown and we had so much interest, it has been amazing.

"Some of our other venues have told us that we can't use them going forward because of covid but these children need their lessons and have enjoyed carrying on with them in lockdown so it was important we got our own place for that to continue."

Rachel only got the keys for the renovated salon on Grange Drive, Hoghton, last Sunday and has ambitious plans to open as soon as September 14 for classes of no more than eight children.

Alongside a team of builders, the all-singing, all-dancing mum-of-two has been helping with decorating the new school, that will run back to back sessions from four o'clock to eight o'clock each evening.

"For now, all the children in the area will be coming here for their sessions and once that is filled, we will look at opening more venues. We are hoping to get back to normal with safety precautions in place as kids go back to school," she said.

"All the parents have been so supportive and think it is such a good idea. They just want their children to go back to interacting with others and to start socialising as they go back to school. Some parents are even driving their children from so far away that their journey to us is longer than the lessons."

Little Voices teaches lessons in drama and singing to children across the country and has nine venues ran by Rachel across Preston, Chorley and Leyland.

The franchise have over 70 principles nationwide and all introduced online workshops to support young people with the power of music and performing throughout the pandemic but are now focusing on getting classes back up and running.

Other locations include Lytham St Annes, Clitheroe, Blackburn, Wigan and Accrington.