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North East businesses come together to sponsor UK’s largest outdoor light festival

North East businesses are coming together to support Lumiere, the UK’s largest outdoor light festival, which returns to the city for the fourth time from 12th-15th November 2015.

Sponsors from across the region are working with festival producers Artichoke and commissioning body Durham County Council to help deliver the event that will transform the centre of Durham for four nights with a series of artists’ installations.

Furniture manufacturing company Godfrey Syrett, whose head office is in Killingworth, have signed up to sponsor Lumiere’s Gala Dinner on 11th November. This event will welcome leading businesses and their clients from across the North East for an evening at the Radisson Blu Hotel in the heart of Durham, and includes an auction to raise funds for the festival.

Neil Tweddle, Managing Director of Godfrey Syrett said, “We’re absolutely delighted to be involved in Durham’s Lumiere festival. Godfrey Syrett is one of the UK’s leading designers and manufacturers of office and educational furniture, and being based in the North East, we see Lumiere as the perfect springboard to help raise our profile and our drive to become the region’s number one supplier of furniture to the commercial sector.”

Neil Raw, General Manager at the Radisson Blu Hotel said, “It is a pleasure to be involved as a partner of Lumiere for the third time this year, supporting an internationally recognised festival that showcases our beautiful, historic city to the rest of the UK.”

Another longstanding supporter of Lumiere is John Adamson, director of Ramside Hall Estates and organiser of the Hardwick Live 2015 music festival in Sedgefield. This year, he is donating a portion of every ticket sold for Hardwick Live to Lumiere, so music fans coming to see indie favourites James, Cast and Razorlight in August will also be playing a part in supporting one of the region’s most spectacular cultural events.

John Adamson said, “As Durham has the privilege of hosting this wonderful festival of light, it is vitally important that local businesses enthusiastically support and embrace this rare opportunity. The enjoyment and the economic benefit that Lumiere brings to the city should be appreciated.”

Other North East sponsors who are helping to bring Lumiere back to Durham in 2015 include County Durham Housing Group, Derwentside Homes, Northumbrian Water,Prince Bishops Shopping Centre, Sevcon and Walkergate.

Opportunities are still available for companies to support the festival this year and showcase their brand to visitors and businesses, including sponsoring an artist installation and donating a prize to the festival’s Gala Dinner auction.

Sarah Coop, Artichoke Development Director said, “Lumiere wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our sponsors and we’re incredibly grateful to the businesses who are working with us, and to our funders Durham County Council and Arts Council England who pledged £1.1m to bring the festival back to Durham in 2015.

“With their help, we have raised 90% of the total festival budget of £1.8m and we’re now looking to find the last £150,000 to light up Lumiere for a fourth fantastic year.”

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