Nicks cool puppet!

Claire made one of Nick's puppets - an accessory all young ladies should carry round with them I think.

The IDENTITY Art Competition

Holly's picture (aged 5) - Winner of the 4 - 7 Infant Category

Charlotte (aged 10) who won the 8 - 11 Junior Category.

Charlotte's picture

As you can see I braved it and announced the winners of the competition, I said it alright then I had to spoil it by saying 'bye!' at the end.

The 4 - 7 Infant Category was won by Holly aged 5, and the 8 - 11 Junior Category was won by Charlotte.

Charlotte came forward for her prize and I will get in touch with Holly very soon. All those who entered will receive a sweetie prize like I have said so you should receive them soon too.

I thought Charlotte's picture was outstanding, and I loved receiving the pictures from everybody, each one made me smile.

The Fun Day

We all enjoyed the Fun Day even though we had rain and black clouds quite a bit of the time. As you can see we were pretty busy in the marquee and also managed to get the word out as well. Click on the pictures to enlarge them. I had them placed perfectly on the post but they seem to have come out all higgledy piggledy.

What's a little bit of rain? Never done anyone any harm!

If your a true Brit' a little bit of rain won't bother you if you're thinking of coming to the Fun Day tomorrow. The weather report says that we will get intermittent rain spells, so we will also get intermittent sunny spells! - See you tomorrow.

One day to the Fun Day

The main things I have to do today is make my banner and signs hangable and gather things ready for bringing to the park tomorrow. I'm glad I did most of the running around on Thursday - phew!

Some links to what else is going on on the day:

http://www.shakyexperience.co.uk/index2.html
This character looks really cool and wise:
http://www.baldmc.com/
The Black Thunders:
http://www.essexfm.co.uk/sectional.asp?id=12999
The Billericay Dog Training School
http://www.bdts.org.uk/

Ticking off the things on my to do list

Well not exactly, but it's amazing what you don't think of until very near the day of the event - like water! We'll need water for painting Charlie and Sarah's masks, and I'm going to have painting and drawing available for the children too. So I've been on the look out for huge water containers. Another thing I thought of was aprons or cover-alls for the painting but Sue came to the rescue there and I have lots of old shirts now to use.
There are lots and lots of other things too but I won't bore you with them.

Getting ready for the Fun Day

From the Interlock News (In Touch)

The Northlands Park Neighbourhood community newspaper!

Raining Cat's and Dog's

It's absolutely raining cat's and dog's out there, and here we have thunder and lightening too. I'm getting worried about the weather on the Fun Day now, I hope it doesn't carry on like this until Sunday - that would be a blow for all involved.

Please come to the Fun Day, there is going to be loads going on.
The Northlands Park Events Group are working with the Basildon and Pitsea Carnival Committee to bring four packed hours of entertainment.
For kids there is the Giant Crazy Cottage - 85 feet long, three cottages linked with a mega slide, then along side that is the Medieval Activity Run - 75 feet long.
There is also Bungee Running and the Human Demolition Zone - all sounds like crazy fun.
There is a Super Stage Show featuring the local dance talent with Expozure and the Troy dancers, local band Acquiesce, the talented Kat Tanner and music from the Briscoe school choir. Topping the bill there is 'The Shaky Experience' with the fantastic Paul Jennings as Shakin' Stevens rocking it out over the park. The man in control is the resident DJ Bald MC.

The Black Thunders are coming to the Fun Day! The will be arriving around 2pm, with live links to the studio from the park and Essex FM giveaways for the crowd.
Also there will be the Billericay Dog Training School pet dog display team, the Della Marie Majorettes , also the High Kicks?! Plus prize giving from the Basildon and Pitsea Carnival, as both the carnivals are set to arrive around 2pm after both of their processions.

There's going to be a Round Robin football competition where you could win the cup! Or you could try your hand at paintball: get your nails done at the Nail Art stand or make your way to the Art Café stand and get your face painted while enjoying the results of the Art Competition and have a go at creating a work of art yourself! (as quoted in the Interlock News In Touch Issue 18).

Also the Northlands Park Children's Centre will be there introducing the family of the centre mascot, Doris the Dinosaur, as well as having plenty of activities for the children and plenty of support for the parents.
As you see there is loads on plus stalls, children's rides, tombolas, games and promotional stands.

According to the Interlock News weather forecasters are predicting that the hottest time this summer will be late June and early July so fingers crossed!

ArtCafe's Launch - Northlands Park Fun Day

And ArtCafe's Launch! This will be the day when people can see what we are all about and I'll be there with my clip board seeing if I can get peoples interest in the various activities and booking people in. We have had a few bookings already, animation is very popular.

Neil and Claire holding up the ArtCafé Event's banner

With flash above, and without it below.

That laminator came in pretty handy!

16 Days to the Fun Day

We've got the marquee, the tables, the chairs sorted. We sort of know what we are doing - may probably need a last minute meeting to be sure.
I need to purchase some face paints - I think I will be doing this next Wednesday with Lisa and Nick when we go to the Pyramid Resource Centre.
If anyone knows where I can quality face paints at reasonable prices do tell, don't keep it to yourself.

Photos from a previous Fun Day

Here are some photos from a previous Fun Day, we're having a stall there so was encouraged to see how popular it's been in the past.
http://www.visionwebsites.co.uk/Contents/Misc/Details.asp?SiteId=268&SiteExtra=13291492&TopNavId=763&NavSideId=4919&MiscAreaId=1027

Pleased about the Marquee

Tony said either the Marquee is either 6M x 3M or 9M x 3M – in my old fashioned maths language that is 18ft by 9ft or 27 ft by 9 ft. That’s pretty great actually!!

The Fun Day

It has been agreed that on Northlands Park Fun Day we are going to hold a marquee, have some face painting and the 75% of the money raised from this will go to the Events Group.
We will also show the two winners of the IDENTITY art competition on our marquee and their names will be announced and they will win their prizes on the day.
It's also my intention to do some puppet making and mask making - for a small charge the children could bring their makes home with them.

PUBLICITY

I aim to largely publicise these events at the Northlands Park Fun Day. A competition for children at Primary school to draw a self portrait - or draw themselves and their family - i.e Thinking about their identity.
A4 size paper only, painting or pencil to be sent to me by a specified date. The winner of the Infant group can win £25 in Hobbycraft vouchers, and the winner of the Junior group will also win £25 in Hobbycraft vouchers. This will be announced at the Fun Day.
They will all be winners in a way as all the paintings will be displayed on the cafe's wall.
We will also do face painting the whole day plus alot an hour to two hour examples of the events and workshops e.g an hour of Speakers Corner, a couple of hours of Animation making, two hours of Puppet Workshop and two hours of Mask Making.
Tony Guyon has chosen to give us the Marquee for free and will pay for the face painting - but the money from the face painting will go to the Events Group.
I AM LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCE IN FACE PAINTING AND LOTS OF COMMON SENSE. Teach me and I will help, I'm very artistic and know I can do it, this way you can get breaks. This ones resolved as Lisa has lot's of common sense and is going to be the face-painter, plus Charlie is going to ask his sister too. Lisa said she will teach me, so that I can give Lisa (them) breaks.
N.B Approach schools and artists for judging. - Lisa and Fran are going to be the judges.

Latest Developments

I'm now working on a part-time basis at the Café, it's a good situation to be in because I can get to know the locals, and it will be good for them to get to know someone who will be doing future art projects in their park.
I worked last Friday and can say that Sarah has regular clientele who are fishermen, amongst others, some who camp there for a few days and get their breakfasts there.
I'm learning how to use the coffee machine and ice-cream machine - they're not as simple as they look I can tell you.
I think now that what I plan to do will be basically what I've said on the list of events, I don't want to add any extra frills as I have enough to sort out, I hope Tony Guyon will back me up in having a stall at the Northlands Park Fun Day where we can promote our workshops.
I spoke to my friend today who lives in that area and she said that their used to be a council magazine going around that advertised what was on in the summer at the local community buildings, I will have to investigate and try and get our workshops advertised in there.