Crossbar Coaching are so Happy to produce fun charity video

It’s guaranteed to make you Happy!

A Shropshire sports coaching company is hoping their new music video, featuring youngsters from across the county, will go viral and raise funds for charity.

Staff from Crossbar Coaching Education in Sport together with pupils from two county primary schools, Greenfields in Shrewsbury and Lawley in Telford, have joined forces to star in the reworked video to the feelgood song Happy, by Pharrell Williams, which topped the charts early last year.

More than 3,000 people have already watched the video on YouTube since it was released last Sunday with each viewing benefiting the Team Isaac Jones charity, set up in memory of the inspirational Shropshire youngster who died in September 2013, aged 22 months, after battling germ cell cancer so courageously.

It is the second successive summer the Crossbar team have gone in front of the cameras for the charity after their successful reworking of New Order’s iconic 1990 video World In Motion last year to coincide with the World Cup in Brazil.

“Happy is just following on from the World in Motion video we did, which a lot of people will remember,” said Gavin Cowan, director of Crossbar Coaching Education in Sport, who has a leading role in the video.

“It’s a bit of a spoof, some fun, and we’re willing to make ourselves look a little bit silly just to raise some funds as it’s all in the name of Team Isaac Jones in aid of children with cancer.

“Gareth and Sonya Jones, Isaac’s parents, are friends of mine and what happened is absolutely horrific, but what is amazing is they’ve drawn some strength in adversity and have focused on trying to help others which is truly commendable.

“Although we play a small part in Team Isaac, it’s part of something that is really big in terms of fund raising and it brings a lot of people together with Gareth and Sonya the nucleus of that.

“For us to be able to contribute – and in such a fun way – is fantastic. We loved putting the video together and it’s raising money for an amazing charity which is the most important thing.”

“Every time the video is watched 1,000 times, as a company we’ll donate £100. We’ll also encourage people to donate themselves. We’re very active on social media and asking people to share the video. The idea is to try and raise as much money as possible and the response so far has been fantastic.

“We raised about £800 through the World in Motion video and there were a lot of direct contributions as well. I’m hoping we can raise over £2,000 this time.”

Gavin, a former footballer for Shrewsbury Town and AFC Telford United, added that he was delighted to be able to involve the staff and pupils of Lawley and Greenfields Primary schools in the video as they are two of the many schools around the county where Crossbar deliver sport across the curriculum.

Much of the filming took place at the two schools and at locations in both Lawley and Greenfields – even a local vicar joined in.

Gavin said: “Lots of schoolchildren have taken part and they had a great time filming the video, and the teachers as well who were really eager to be involved, which is testament to them.

“We’ve worked at Lawley and Greenfields for a number of years now and the staff have always been very supportive of what we do.

“World in Motion was very successful and it worked well around the World Cup in Brazil last summer. With this one everybody knows the song and it is just literally ourselves having fun so people can just watch and see the coaches in a different light and perhaps some of their teachers. Hopefully everyone will enjoy it.”

To view Crossbar Coaching’s Happy video, visit Crossbar Coaching – Happy (Charity Video)

Meanwhile, Crossbar are looking for new staff as they continue to expand.

Apart from delivering sport across the curriculum at a host of county primary schools, they are running more than 50 courses and holiday clubs this summer as well as offering stadium tours to Anfield, Old Trafford and the Etihad Stadium.

Crossbar also operate popular football academies in partnership with the Shropshire Schools and Colleges FA.

They are now seeking a sports coach/educator to join the team while they also offer PE and School Sport apprenticeships.

Gavin said: “We are looking for an experienced, personable, highly motivated individual to be a part of our professional team to deliver PE and School Sport provision in Shropshire schools.

“The position is an immediate start to prepare for placement for the upcoming academic year.

“We are also looking for eager, enthusiastic 16-18 year olds with aspirations to progress within our well respected sports coaching company to assist our professional educators in schools across Shropshire.”

For more details, contact admin@crossbarcoaching.com or call (01743) 362368.

Pictured: Gavin Cowan, left, and Jamie Haynes from Crossbar Coaching Education in Sport in a scene from their Happy video which has been produced for the Team Isaac Jones charity.