See some wonderful footage of the 12th Maidstone Mela which captured the colour, fun and artistic quality. The Mela was organised in partnership by Cohesion Plus, Maidstone Borough Council, Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Maidstone Mela Advisory Group with the support of Arts Council England.
The Film of Maidstone Mela 2014 can be viewed below.
Music, food and dance from around the World were on show at the 9th Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival which took place at Calverley Grounds on Sunday July 13. The event which in the last 2 years has fought to survive due to the withdrawal of all funding and support by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council attracted thousands. A collection on the day raised £657.00 which will go towards the cost of this year’s event which was organised by arts organisation Cohesion Plus, Sue Latham Events and the Kent Equality Cohesion Council.
The focus of this years was promoting culturally diverse artists from around Kent and those in attendance were able to enjoy performances by local Samba group Bloco Fogo who opened the Mela, followed by Phase 5 Steel Band who brought the sounds of the Caribbean to Calverley Grounds. Other performers included the Cullen Academy of Irish Dance, local Tunbridge Wells resident Jack Curtis, emerging young singers Gemma Moore and Ryan Bennett whose band had everyone up and dancing. A particular highlight was the Cohesion Plus produced Afro-Bhangra Fusion performance which featured Four by Four Bhangra and Uzambezi Arts.
Away from the stage there were plenty of stalls to keep everyone occupied and an arts zone where children were able to enjoy free creative arts workshops.
Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “We have been overwhelmed with the support that we have received for the Mela Festival both on the day and on social media. There is a great demand for this and I just hope there is a way of making it happen next year so we can achieve our 10th anniversary. A lot of this will depend on the good will of funders but the passion I saw for the Mela at Calverley Gardens I hope will result in more support next year so that we can make it happen. It will be a shame if it was to disappear as I believe it is unique in attracting the diverse communities of the borough to come together as one and celebrate the cohesion of Tunbridge Wells.”
Sue Latham from Sue Latham Events commented “We were very pleased with how the Mela has gone and I would like to say a big thank you to all the volunteers who helped us on the day to prepare the site and clean it afterwards. I am not sure if people appreciate how many resources are required to make the Mela happen but all the hard work was worth it to hear the positive feedback from people as they were leaving and during the event itself. I just hope that we will able to save the Mela so it can happen again next year, if not at least we went out on a high.”
The 9th Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival which celebrates the diversity of the borough through music, food and dance will be taking place this Sunday July 13 at the Calverley Grounds between 12.30pm and 6pm. The Mela has been organised in partnership by Cohesion Plus Kent, Sue Latham Events and the KECC (Kent Equality Cohesion Council).
The Mela is part funded by Arts Council England with the balance of the funds being raised through stalls, sponsorship, and donations, with KECC covering any shortfall as again there is no funding support from local authority partners.
A range of culturally diverse artists will be performing including leading Samba group Bloco Fogo, Four by Four Bhangra, African Folk Group Uzambezi, Lady Motown, emerging young singers Ryan Bennett and Gemma Moore, Cullen Academy of Irish Dance, local reggae star Jack Curtis and Phase 5 Steel Band.
Alongside the exciting stage programme there is also going to be a creative arts zone where Same Sky arts will be delivering arts workshops and there will be an opportunity to decorate the “Mela Festival Gate” which symbolises the fact that the Mela is open to everyone and welcomes all communities young and old.
Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “We hope that the local community will come and enjoy what may be our last ever Mela in Tunbridge Wells. We have worked very hard again to make it happen and have a very exciting stage programme as well as planned activities in the arts zone and food from around the world, the lack of any local authority funding however is making it very difficult to see the Mela surviving as we cannot afford to keep underwriting any shortfalls. I must give credit however to small local business and local community partners who have stepped up and have supported us again this year. It is a big shame as I believe the Mela is a unique event in Tunbridge Wells.”
There is a still a funding short fall for the Mela, so if anyone would like to help please Text KECC11 followed by how much you wish to donate between £1 and £10 to 70070
To view larger click on picture.
Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus with the support of Gravesham Borough Council and KCC Arts Development Unit delivered the highly successful Fusion Festival which took place on Saturday June 28 at the Gravesend Promenade. The aim of the free festival was to showcase new and emerging culturally diverse artists from Kent and to celebrate music and dance from around the world.
The stage programme featured a number of Gravesham based acts including singers Ryan Bennett and Gemma Moore, as well as the ever popular Four by Four Bhangra who performed an exciting new set alongside leading African Arts Company Uzambezi which received a very positive response from the audience. Other performers included the Phase 5 Steel Band, the Cullen Academy of Irish Dance, Ying Tang Chinese Association and Piwnica pod Aniolami a popular Polish cabaret act.
In addition to the stage performers there were also arts workshops being ran by Same Sky Arts which proved popular with young people, the launch of the Mela Festival Gate which is touring the County appearing at all the different events being organised by Cohesion Plus and Kent Equality Cohesion Council this summer as well the 168th Town Regatta and heats for England’s Most Powerful Man.
There was also the soft launch of the Six Ways to Well Being Project which is being delivered in partnership by LV21, The Grand Project, KECC and Cohesion Plus and which has been commissioned by Kent County Council. Arts activities and workshops took place at the River Front to encourage people to learn more about the Six Ways to Well Being.
Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of the Kent Equality Cohesion Council who organised the Fusion Festival commented “I am very pleased with how the Fusion Festival went and have received lots of positive feedback both on the day and on social media afterwards. It was so positive to see the communities come together and enjoy the different acts. I was especially pleased with the Afro-Bhangra Fusion Piece which we co-produced as this underlined what the Festival was about, using the arts to bring diverse communities together both in the audience and on the stage. With all the other activities taking place at the same time such as the Town Regatta and the Summer Queen it was a great day out for the local community.”
KECC has been working in close partnership with Gravesham CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) in recent months through the Advice Together Project and this has resulted in the opening of a new drop in session to assist the local community and provide better access to their services. The drop in takes place at the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in the Langar Hall on the Ground Floor every Tuesday between 6pm and 7.30pm. The drop-in is open to all residents in Gravesham Borough and no appointment is needed.
Volunteers have been recruited from the local community in Gravesend, and trained by Citizens Advice Bureau staff to provide information and advice at the drop in.
The CAB provides free advice and information on many topics, including Employment, Housing, Consumer, Relationships, Benefits, and Debt.
According to Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council who has been working with the CAB and the Gurdwara to set this project up “I am very delighted that we have been able to set up this drop in session and appreciate the support of the Gurdwara Management Committee and the commitment shown by the Citizen Advice Bureau. It is important to stress that this service is open to all communities and we hope that people will come in and use it. Great credit also needs to be given to the volunteers who have given up their time to train and now deliver this service for the benefit of the communities of Gravesham.”
Angela Newey the Manager of the Gravesham Citizen Advice Bureau commented “We are very grateful for the hard work of our volunteer advisers and the help and support we have received from the Gurdwara Management Committee and KECC in setting up this advice centre. We hope that this project will be a success and be of benefit to the local community.”
Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Gravesham Borough Council and leading arts organisation Cohesion Plus with the support of the KCC Arts Development Unit have organised the Gravesham Fusion Festival which will take place at the Gravesend Promenade, Riverside Leisure Area on June 28 between 12pm and 4pm. The aim of the free festival is to showcase new and emerging culturally diverse artists and to celebrate music and dance from around the world.
The stage programme features a range of culturally diverse talent ranging from the Phase 5 Steel Band, local singers Gemma Moore and Ryan Bennett to the Cullen Academy of Irish Dance to Piwnica pod Aniolami a popular Polish cabaret act. The event will also see the first performance of the Cohesion Plus produced “Afro-Bhangra” Fusion performance featuring Four by Four Bhangra and Uzambezi Arts.
In addition to the Fusion Festival the Promenade will also play host to the Gravesend Town Regatta, a fun fair and heats for England’s Most Powerful Man at the same time.
Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of the Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “We hope that the local community will come along and support the Fusion Festival. This Festival captures all that we are about, namely using the arts to bring diverse communities together and to showcase new and emerging talent. With all the other activities taking place at the Prom at the same time this promises to be a great day out for the communities of Gravesham.”
The 9th Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival which celebrates the diversity of the borough through music, food and dance will be taking place on July 13 at the Calverley Grounds between 12.30pm and 6pm. The Mela has been organised in partnership by Cohesion Plus Kent, Sue Latham Events and the Kent Equality Cohesion Council.
The Mela is part funded by Arts Council England with the balance of the funds being raised through stalls, sponsorship, and donations, with KECC covering any shortfall as again there is no funding support from local authority partners.
A range of culturally diverse artists will be performing including leading Samba group Bloco Fogo, Four by Four Bhangra, African Folk Group Uzambezi, Lady Motown, emerging young singers Ryan Bennett and Gemma Moore, Cullen Academy of Irish Dance, local reggae star Jack Curtis and Phase 5 Steel Band.
Alongside the exciting stage programme there is also going to be a creative arts zone where Same Sky arts will be delivering arts workshops and there will be an opportunity to decorate the “Mela Festival Gate” which symbolises the fact that the Mela is open to everyone and welcomes all communities young and old.
There is a still a funding short fall for the Mela, so if anyone would like to help please Text KECC11 followed by how much you wish to donate between £1 and £10 to 70070
The 9th Tunbridge Wells Mela is due to take place on July 13 in Calverley Gardens between 12.30pm and 6pm. The Mela has been organised in partnership by arts organisation Cohesion Plus, Sue Latham Events and Kent Equality Cohesion Council.
Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council today has launched a fundraising appeal to try and raise some much needed cash to help cover some of the shortfall. “We are very pleased that our partners have been able to secure funding though Arts Council England for the Mela, however this will not cover all the costs of the Mela such as infrastructure, marketing and artists. We are looking for not only local business but also individuals to contribute. Last year we as a charity had to cover the shortfall, this is something I am keen to avoid this year. That is why we have launched today a way for small donations between £1 and £10 to be made to the Mela via text messaging to 70070, then in the message section type KECC11 followed by the amount you wish to donate. This is the first time we are trying something like this and hope that this approach can be successful”
To Support the Tunbridge Wells Mela please text 70070, followed by KECC11 and the amount you wish to donate between £1 and £10.
Some of the biggest celebrations for Saint George’s Day took place in North Kent on April 23. Activity started at 7am when commuters at Dartford Train Station were greeted by the sight of a Brass Band and Saint George who provided entertainment while Cllr Jeremy Kite the Leader of Dartford Borough Council, the Mayor of Dartford Cllr Patsy Thurlow handed out Saint George’s Day themed goodies.
The focus then moved to Gravesham where entertainment started outside the Old Town Hall at 10am where the gathering crowds were able to enjoy performances by the West Hill Morris Group and the Premier Brass Band while on the Community Square the Salvation Army Brass Band starting performing.
Just after 10.30am led by Saint George 22 schools from Gravesham involving some 1000 children started the schools parade which also involved the Premier Brass Band, West Hill Morris Dance Troupe and Four by Four Dhol Drummers. The parade started outside Saint George’s Church before going up the High Street, into the Town Centre, through Saint George’s Shopping Centre and then via Windmill Street to the Community Square. The children were cheered along the way with the communities of Gravesham proudly waving the flag of Saint George. Once on Community Square the children were thanked by the Deputy Mayor of Gravesham Cllr John Caller before the flag of Saint George was raised.
The celebrations then moved to Dartford where a traditional hog spit roast was set up on the High Street and had queues as soon as it opened at noon. Entertainment was provided by the Salvation Army Brass Band on One Bell Corner and the West Hill Morris Group performed for the large crowd that had gathered. The parade featuring 8 local schools and some 500 children proved to be a great hit with hundreds following the parade from the High Street to the Band Stand in Central Park where further entertainment took place before everyone was thanked by Cllr Jeremy Kite the Leader of Dartford Borough Council and the Mayor of Dartford Cllr Patsy Thurlow.
Over the 3 events it is estimated that over 5000 people were able to enjoy the Saint George’s Day celebrations which were organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus supported by Arts Council England, Gravesham Borough Council and Dartford Borough Council.
Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council (KECC) who has been working on the celebrations for the past few months commented “I am so proud of what we achieved today. These were our most ambitious plans to date and as ever the communities of Gravesham and Dartford came out to support us and waved the flag of Saint George with pride. It is important that events like this take place to bring diverse communities together and celebrate shared values and I already have some ideas about how we can make the celebrations even bigger next year. I am very grateful to the support provided by all our partners and the local schools which took part.”
Over 1500 young people from 30 schools in Gravesham and Dartford will be taking part in community celebrations through Gravesend and Dartford town centres on April 23 to celebrate Saint Georges Day. The festivities has been organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus supported by Arts Council England, Gravesham Borough Council and Dartford Borough Council’s in what will be some of the biggest celebrations taking place in England.
Work has been taking place in local schools over the last 8 weeks to prepare special visual arts and craft displays which will be used during the parade which will also feature the Premier Brass Band, West Hill Morris Dance Troupe, Four by Four Dhol Drummers, a Town Crier and a Saint George in full armor.
The focal point of parade will be a model of Saint George which has been made by local children.
The aim of the events is to celebrate the patron Saint of England and bring together the diverse communities in Gravesham and Dartford to celebrate this important day. The celebrations in Gravesham will take place between 10am and 11.30am and in Dartford between 7am and 9am at Dartford Train Station and then in the Town Centre between 12pm and 3pm.
Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council (KECC) who has been working on the celebrations for the past few months commented “As ever we have had an excellent response from the local schools and our community partners. I am very passionate about Saint George’s Day as I believe it is an important way of bringing communities together and celebrating what it means to be English today in a culturally diverse society. We need to all share common values and beliefs and Saint George’s Day is one such opportunity. I hope that the local communities in Gravesham and Dartford will come out and support the celebrations and wave the flag of Saint George.”
Timetable of Activities
Dartford
| 7am – 9am | Premier Brass Band will be performing and Saint George in full armor will be at Dartford Train Station giving out goodies to commuters |
Gravesham
| 10am – 10.30 | Brass Band performing on Community Square |
| 10am – 10.30 | Morris Dancers and Premier Brass Band performing on High Street outside Old Town Hall |
| 10.30am – 11.30am | Schools parade through Town Centre finishing of the Community Square where the Flag of Saint George will be raised |
Dartford
| 12pm – 3pm | Free traditional spit roast samples on One Bell Corner |
| 1pm – 1.30pm | Brass Band performing on One Bell Corner |
| 1.30pm – 2.30pm | Schools parade through the Town Centre finishing on the Bandstand at Central Park |
