The mammoth task has been hampered by insufficient staffing, inexperienced shelter operators, and gaps in language access, people familiar with the process said.
Hastings Thrives online songwriting competition judge Frank Moon
Spokeswoman Jenny Lozano said: “The theme is Nature and we are online again this year.
Spend ten minutes in nature looking, listening, feeling and being. It can be anywhere you choose: your garden, the street, park, woodland, the sea. Take someone suitable with you to stay safe. Songs can be anything you choose from a celebration, quirky, evocative, protest.
And you can get imaginative with your melodies. Gather some objects from nature and scatter them like notes on lined paper.
“There s help too. Join our after-school or home-ed course on Tuesdays. And for ten lucky people in the 12-15-year-old category, you can enter your song by June 9tand receive judge s feedback, so you have the chance to grow your song. The final submission deadline is midnight June 23 2020.