Member Article

Free in the Park

Over a dozen North East bands are set to take the stage at the award winning Saltwell Park on Thursday and Saturday this week as part of Gateshead Council’s ‘Year of Volunteers Festival’. The Event is tipped to be the biggest showcase of volunteer talent in the North East of the year with bands including ‘Amber Shift’ and ‘The Ramseys’ performing live.

The bands will be performing at the bandstand in Saltwell Park, each doing a half hour set. The bands who are all giving up their time for free to play in the multi award winning Park, will be performing alongside local DJs from midday on Thursday and from 11am on Saturday.

‘The Year of Volunteers Festival’ is taking place in Saltwell Park every day from 1-7 June with over 50 voluntary organisations taking part. Apart from recruiting new volunteers, many of the groups are putting on demonstrations and activities.

David Napier, Gateshead Council cabinet member, said: “Volunteers help to make our borough what it is and it’s great that these up and coming North East bands have been willing to buy into that by providing such brilliant entertainment for free.

“The Year of Volunteers is a intended not only to recruit new volunteers to help us reach our target of one million volunteer hours a year in the Borough by 2015, but also to help celebrate the work that volunteers and voluntary organisations already do.”

For more information on The Year of Volunteers Festival visit www.gateshead.gov.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .