COMEDIAN Victoria Wood has launched a whistle challenge to raise funds for a York musical charity.

The patron of Jessie’s Fund is asking people to play a tune on the swanee whistle, also known as a slide whistle or the voice of the Clangers in the 1970s children’s television show.

They should then post a video of their performance on social media, and nominate someone else to see if they can do better.

Victoria, who started with a swanee version of one of her most famous songs - the Ballad of Barry and Freda, said: “If you can give children access to music, no matter their difficulties in hearing, sight, speech or mobility, you’re giving them a chance to celebrate their humanity, their energy and their sense of fun.

"Jessie’s Fund understands that music isn't about practice and exams, it's about the music that is inside you and expresses who you are – even when played on a swanee whistle!”

The charity, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, was set up in memory of a musical little York girl, nine-year-old Jessica George, who died of a brain tumour and it helps seriously ill and disabled children through the creative and therapeutic use of music.

Over the past 20 years, it has provided musical instruments to almost every children’s hospice in the UK and music therapists for three quarters.

Fund director Lesley Schatzberger said: “We hope the Swanee Whistle Challenge will be a lot of fun, but with a serious message: music has a great power to help us communicate and share emotions and experiences including fun and laughter.”

To find out about the swanee whistle challenge and see Victoria Wood’s performance, go to www.jessiesfund.org.uk/swanee-whistle-challenge.

Meanwhile, the fund is one of a number of organisations asking people to vote for it to win money from the Aviva Community Fund, with the aim of using se the money to fund a Soundtracks project at Hob Moor Oaks Special School in York, where children have learning disabilities, profound and multiple learning disabilities or autistic spectrum conditions.

The project is part of the charity’s Soundtracks creative music programme which will give pupils the chance to get involved in music and train staff to use music to engage and involve the children through communication and learning.

To vote for Jessie’s Fund, go to https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/project/view/1448/.