Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad made a surprise appearance at a schoolchildren's performance of Abba Voyage in east London on Tuesday, launching an expanded education programme aimed at supporting young people into creative industries.
The programme includes an autumn school programme, a mentoring scheme, and apprenticeship opportunities within local entertainment venues, many of which relocated to Stratford after the area's regeneration for the 2012 Olympics.
At the launch event, local schools enjoyed the live concert experience, with teachers encouraging students to sing and dance along to hits like Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! and SOS. After the performance, Andersson and Lyngstad led a rendition of Thank You for the Music.
Andersson, 79, spoke about the patience needed for songwriting, saying: 'To write a bad song is easy, to write a good song, you need to sit down there for hours and days and weeks before something might pop up.' Lyngstad confirmed the band members remain friends despite living in different countries.
Shazia Hussain, CEO of the London Legacy Development Corporation, said the programme could 'transform early inspiration into tangible career pathways'. Craig Hartenstine, CEO for Abba Voyage, said it aims to help young people 'build the skills and confidence that can lead to real opportunities in the future'.
The event follows a report warning of a 'lost generation' of youth unemployment, with about one in eight young people across the UK not in education, employment or training. Abba Voyage has already engaged with 8,500 young people through existing initiatives and sources at least 50% of its employees from the local area.
