A GROUP of youngsters raised money for charity when they performed a nursery rhyme.

Members of Debutots Early Years Drama, which is based at St Mary’s Church, in Commonweal Road, were sponsored to sing I’m a Little Teapot yesterday as part of the Chatterbox Challenge: Mad Chatter’s Tea Party.

The performance raised funds for I CAN, which helps children who struggle to communicate.

Debutots Early Years Drama Swindon owner Jenni Saunders said: “I CAN produce resources to encourage children to talk and communicate. They help children with all sorts of communication difficulties, including children who are deaf or who have Down’s syndrome.

“Debutots as a group is about stories and development. We support that charity because it is relevant to what we are doing.”

Chatterbox Challenge events are annual educational fundraising events in nurseries, pre-schools and childminding groups across the UK for children up to five-years-old,” said Jenni.

“We’ve been practising I’m a Little Teapot for a few weeks now. Events like this are always good fun and they help the children’s development. “It encourages the group to communicate with each other. Certainly with the older children they will be able to speak to their parents about what the event was for as well.”

Among the parents at the event was Lucy Griffiths, of Old Town, with Isabel, three, and Ryan, one.

“They’re very comfortable in these surroundings so it is good for them to try new things here,” she said. “We have been practising the song at home.”

Also at the event was Tracey Potter, of Redhouse, with 14-month-old Lily.

“She enjoys things like this and it helps her develop. The interaction helps her communciation skills and gives her more confidence,” she said.

I CAN chief executive, Virginia Beardshaw, said: “The Chatterbox Challenge is a fantastic annual activity, which encourages the under-fives to learn nursery rhymes to develop their speaking and understanding skills.

“The children’s sponsored tea party will help to raise money for I CAN’s work with some of the one million children in the UK who struggle to communicate.

“The activities for the Chatterbox Challenge have been designed by I CAN’s speech and language therapists and teachers to help develop children’s communication skills in a fun and engaging way.”

For more about Debutots Swindon visit debutots.co.uk/franchisees/swindon.html. To find out more about the challenge visit chatterboxchallenge.org.uk.