06.06.06 - Magna residents support popular children's festival

The Western Area Tenants’ Panel for Magna Housing Association are hoping to help people get creative this summer when they sponsor the ‘Summerthing Children’s Art Festival’ from their community initiative fund.

The Summerthing is held in Bridport for five days starting 7th August 2006 and is an arts event for all local children aged between 6 and 12 years. It has been running since 1994 and has become incredibly popular.

Each year the event is based on a theme, in the past these have included the ocean, the jungle, flight and animal magic. A wide variety of workshops are then offered, such as circus skills, giant puppet making, photography, dance, drama, animation, music, masks and even carnival costume.

The whole event finishes with the children taking part in a exciting and colourful parade through Bridport to demonstrate some of the skills they have learned.

Festival co-ordinator, Nikki Northover, is currently raising the remainder of the sponsorship for the event. “This has become an extremely popular event for local children, we have around 90 who attend the whole week. It’s such a great opportunity for them to learn something new in a safe, educational but creative and fun environment.”

Tenant panel chairman, Martin Kendrick, says, “All this fun doesn’t come cheap however, so as well as sponsoring the event, the Tenants’ Panel are also providing £700 sponsorship for 10 children from Magna homes to get the chance to attend.”

Any Magna resident who believes their child or children might be interested in taking one of the free places and taking part in the festival for the whole week, should contact customer liaison manager, Ken Bodycombe, on 01305 214044 by 30 June. All names will be registered and a draw made for the lucky 10 during July.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the festival can contact Nikki direct on 077659 71357.

Last updated 12.05.06