Choir celebrates Sir David Attenborough with song

4 hours ago

Zhara Simpson,South Westand

Cameron Weldon,in Plymouth

A chalk design was drawn on Plymouth Hoe to celebrate Sir David Attenborough's life's work

BBC An ariel view of the artwork on Plymouth Hoe. There is Earth at the centre, with 'Happy 100 Birthday Sir David Attenborough' on it. There is a whale to Earth's right and trees and mountains to its left. A choir is gathered at the top the artwork, with people lined up taking photos on the other side. — A chalk design was drawn on Plymouth Hoe to celebrate Sir David Attenborough's life's work

A climate choir and conservation art group gathered on Plymouth Hoe to film a video ahead of Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday.

Members of the Plymouth Climate Choir sang a song called Natural World earlier with the hope it will be included in a worldwide chorus set to be released ahead of the broadcaster's birthday on 8 May.

Versions of the song have been filmed all over the world, supported by musicians Pete Townshend and Brian Eno.

Rebel Botanists, a Plymouth-based environmental conservation organisation, also drew a large design on Plymouth Hoe in chalk to celebrate Sir David's work.

Elizabeth Richmond said the chalk design shows the transitions of nature's systems and plants

Elizabeth Richmond smiling at the camera in front of a chalk artwork on the promenade which is made up of blue swirls. She has a green T-shirt on which reads 'Rebel Botanist' and is wearing dark sunglasses and a black beret. There is a crowd of people behind her. — Elizabeth Richmond said the chalk design shows the transitions of nature's systems and plants

Founder of the organisation Elizabeth Richmond designed the artwork and said Attenborough meant "everything" to her.

"The design follows a theme with the planet in the middle," she said. "On the far side we have the mountain's alpine species coming across woodlands and the sea.

"We're looking at the transition of the [Earth's] systems and plants within our chalking."

Elizabeth Richmond said the singing and chalk drawing was a lovely collaboration

A crowd of people stood together singing. There is a cardboard cut out of Sir David Attenborough on the left. — Elizabeth Richmond said the singing and chalk drawing was a lovely collaboration

Richmond said the organisation wrote the names of wild plants in chalk along pavements to raise awareness of their importance.

She described the singing and drawing as a "lovely collaboration".

Ann Read said a montage of choirs would be clipped together for a birthday gift to Sir David Attenborough

Ann Read smiling at the camera in front of the Earth artwork. She is wearing an orange top. — Ann Read said a montage of choirs would be clipped together for a birthday gift to Sir David Attenborough

Ann Read from Plymouth Climate Choir said the event helped to create awareness of climate change and encourage people to look after the natural world.

Read said: "We are on the side of nature and helping people to choose to live more sustainably in time to sustain this beautiful, wonderful place that we've inherited, and hand on this still beautiful, still wonderful and still sustainable place - because how can you not love it?"

She said clips from the different choirs will be used in a montage as a birthday gift for Sir David.

Richmond said Sir David Attenborough had been a "teacher" all her life

Sir David Attenborough standing in a garden with flowers in the background — Richmond said Sir David Attenborough had been a "teacher" all her life

Richmond said Sir David had been a "teacher" all her life.

"I think for 90% of the people on this planet, he's been their teacher," she said. "Whether they've been zoned into him on the TV or not, he's been there and he's still going at 100 years old.

"He's trying to show us a message that we have to do more, we've got to save this planet.

"The man's amazing."