About Live & Local

Live & Local is a not-for-profit arts organisation working across Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. We support a network of voluntary organisations that bring communities together to enjoy high quality, affordable and professional live performances and film screenings. Our work is made possible by investment from Arts Council England and local authorities in the areas where we work and it happens because of the dedication of volunteers.

Celebration Event

Below is a gallery of photo’s taken at the Get Together South Staffordshire celebration event at Pattingham Village Hall on Wednesday 12th September.
Photo’s courtesy of Alex Johnson http://www.facebook.com/AlexLeeJohnsonPhotography
You can find these images and others on our Flickr account by clicking the link on the right hand side of this blog.

A Successful Celebration!

We would like to thank all individuals and groups who attended the Get Together South Staffordshire Celebration event on Wednesday 12th September, we hope you found it informative and enjoyable.

Thanks to all who contributed to making the event so successful including Blymhill & Weston U Lizard Village Hall Committee, Wombourne Games Trust and All Saints Church, Bednall for talking about their events, Cllr Rita Hesseltine, Mark Jenkinson, South Staffordshire Council and Ros Burton, SSCVA.

Thanks also to Lucy Cox, South Staffordshire Volunteer Centre http://www.volunteerstaffordshire.org.uk/Celebrating/South-Staffordshire.aspx, and to Cathie Davies at Hullabaloo Arts www.hullabalooarts.com. Please visit the links about volunteering or if you were inspired to organise some hands-on visual art workshops as part of your community activity.

Here are a few useful links to some of the topics that Mark Jenkinson, South Staffordshire Council covered;

The Community Budget

http://www.sstaffs.gov.uk/your_services/your_community/community_funding/community_budget.aspx

The Good Life

http://southstaffordshire.thegoodlife.uk.net/

GRANTnet – South Staffordshire

www.sstaffs.gov.uk/grants

Get Together South Staffordshire had a real impact in 2012, and here at Live & Local we look forward to working with you in the future.

Reminder- Celebration Event 12th September!

This is a reminder about the Get Together South Staffordshire celebration event which will take place at Pattingham Village Hall on Wednesday 12th September 6.15-8pm.

  • Join us from 6.15pm for an opening and introduction at 6.30pm by Vice Chairman of South Staffordshire Council, Cllr. Mrs Rita Heseltine
  • Receive information about South Staffs Council’s “Community Budget” from Maggie Quinn, Partnership and Locality Manager, South Staffs Council
  • Advice and ideas by South Staffordshire Community & Voluntary Action, Blymhill Village Hall Committee, Wombourne Games, The Volunteer Centre,All Saints Church in Bednall, Cheslyn Hay Allotments Association, Make Some Noise, Hullabaloo Arts and Live & Local
  • A short performance by Brassed Up, allowing you to sample one of the artists from the forthcoming Live & Local programme


Down to earth music enthusiasts, James and Iain, take you from the tiny piccolo trumpet to the huge bass tuba and tootle all the way to Rachmaninov!

Come along, share stories of events within your community, learn more about the Community Budget and enjoy top class entertainment on your doorstep!

Please RSVP with your name, organisation and how many people will be attending to carly@liveandlocal.org.uk by 7th September.

Celebration Event!

We can now give you more details about the Get Together South Staffordshire celebration event which will take place at Pattingham Village Hall on Wednesday 12th September 6.15-8pm.

  • Join us from 6.15pm for an opening and introduction at 6.30pm by Vice Chairman of South Staffordshire Council, Cllr. Mrs Rita Heseltine

  • Receive information about South Staffs Council’s “Community Budget” from Maggie Quinn, Partnership and Locality Manager, South Staffs Council

  • Advice and ideas by South Staffordshire Community & Voluntary Action, Blymhill Village Hall Committee, Wombourne Games, The Volunteer Centre, All Saints Church in Bednall, Cheslyn Hay Allotments Association, Make Some Noise, Hullabaloo Arts and more

  • A short performance by Brassed Up, allowing you to sample one of the artists from the forthcoming Live & Local programme

Down to earth music enthusiasts, James and Iain, take you from the tiny piccolo trumpet to the huge bass tuba and tootle all the way to Rachmaninov!

Come along, share stories of events within your community, learn more about the Community Budget and enjoy top class entertainment on your doorstep!

Please RSVP with your name, organisation and how many people will be attending to carly@liveandlocal.org.uk by 3rd September.

The Wombourne Games

A summary of this weekends Wombourne Games, written by Dave Meageen, Organiser:

Friday and Saturday saw the Wombourne Games take place.  The event attracted hundreds of people and over 500 people took part in the games which was a fantastic success.  Participants age range from age 1 -90.  Medal winners from age 3-72 – our table tennis final was contested by two gentleman over 70 years old.

The Wombourne Games covered traditional sports such as athletics, football and swimming.  We have organised table tennis, netball, pool, fishing, bowling, patchwork quilting, the great Wombourne Bake off, flower arranging, cake decorating, computer games and many other sports and activities. We also showcased other activities such as martial arts, fitness, dance and the Arts – we had have our fantastic Wombournes Got talent competition which took place throughout the entire day on the event stage  – as well as entertainment from Wombournes own ‘Different Class’  and Sam and Ryan who presented on stage and sang their own set of family songs.

 

Got to Dance (Sky One)  finalists ‘Antics’ were literally mobbed at the end by enthusiastic fans following their breathtaking performance. To complete the fantastic family day the rock choir Fusion which had around 100 members singing sang songs such as Viva La Vida and We are the Champions with the audience singing and taking part! The night finished with a fantastic firework display.

Perhaps the impact created can best be summed up by a few quotes from the participators from the day…..

‘ I thought I was past it! This has given me a new lease of life’

‘I won, it was my daughter who entered me into the event. Wouldn’t have done it myself’.

‘what a fantastic way of bringing everyone together!’

‘So much talent, where do I start?’  judge WGT

However, as one spectator summed it up…….

‘So many people, so many smiles, a community that has a real sense of pride’.

What a great community event! It was wonderful to see so many young people inspired to take part alongside all members of the community. There certainly was ‘something for everyone’. A great success ….

Wombourne, a place where we share our success, try our best and aim to be ‘the best we can be’.

Thanks to everyone who took part, attended and contributed to the Wombourne Games.  It was a truly memorable event for all the people of Wombourne – we hope you have many happy memories!

(To see more photos from the Wombourne Games click on the right hand side of the home page, under Flickr photo’s)

Help us Celebrate South Staffordshire!

We would like to invite you or other representatives of your group to Pattingham Village Hall on Wednesday 12 September to celebrate Get Together South Staffordshire and the summer of 2012 with a live performance and lots of ideas to help you plan ahead for 2013.
During the evening you will find out about:
  • Successful community events that took place in your area
  • Ideas that worked well in South Staffordshire
  • Making the most of the resources you have
  • Working with volunteers to support community activities
  • Funding opportunities from South Staffordshire Council’s Community Budget
  • The sorts of activities/projects that are eligible for funding
  • How to apply during 2012 -2013
  • Choose and promote high quality performances in your local community venue
  • How to bring live theatre, music and more to your community
Big Picture Show / Flicks in the Sticks
  • Running a community cinema
  • How does it work and what do you need
  • The Local support and development organisation for voluntary and community groups in South Staffordshire
Finish your evening with a taste of the live entertainment that’s on offer to Live & Local promoters in 2013.
Wednesday 12th September
6.30 – 8pm
Pattingham Village Hall
RSVP: This invitation extends to you and your community group. Please RSVP with your name, organisation and how many tickets you require to carly@liveandlocal.org.uk
We look forward to seeing you there!

Two Days to Go!

Celebrate Britain and the Olympics 2012 by welcoming the Olympic Flame through the district on Saturday 30th June!

The world’s most famous flame will make its way along the A34 through Great Wyrley and then onto Newtown in Essington as it makes its way to the opening of the London Games.
South Staffordshire Council have provided a map including the times the torch will pass, and you can download it HERE.