Press Release

Crow Point Festival launched!

On Friday 23 rd June 2006 the newly formed NEWPORT COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY launched CROW POINT FESTIVAL at an event held in Wastesaver's Cleanstream Resource Centre. It is the Company's first major social regeneration project in the City.

This exciting project has the backing of Newport City Council and an array of business sponsors funding bodies and volunteers who are all helping to stage a fantastic free weekend celebration of the world's finest TRANSPORTER BRIDGE in its centenary week on 16 th and 17 th September 2006. NCIC thanks all our sponsors for their generous support, and invites others to now join this list:

Paul Flynn MP has announced that his favourite band, GLC (Goldie Lookin' Chain) will be closing festivities in Coronation Park on Sunday 17 th September. The full line up of main stage artists, which will include the finest Newport talent and headline UK acts, will be announced over the Summer.

On Saturday 16 th September the festival programme includes a late-season produce show. The is the first horticultural and produce show in the centre of Newport for many years. It marks and supports the renewed interest in gardening and healthy eating in the City. The schedule of classes, which are aimed at both novice and expert growers, is now available to download from the Festival website at www.crowpoint.co.uk . For further information contact Sara Walsh on 01633 665989 (evenings) or at saras.garden@ntlworld.com .

The Festival is aiming to be a “green” event. Wastesavers are leading the recycling programme. Newport Phoenix Cycling Club, Sustrans and the RGH Cardiology Fund are supporting our cycling programme. The Festival lies on Route 4 of the National Cycle Network, co-incides with the launch of European Mobility Week and features the annual Royal Gwent Cardiology Sponsored Cycle ride on the Sunday morning. Newport Friends of the Earth are leading the development of our “ greenfield ”, a clear area of the site devoted to grass, trees, sky and the rich biodiversity of the River Usk and the Caldicot levels, which adjoin the site. The Festival is working with the Newport Countryside Team to showcase the plans for the nearby Wetlands Visitor Centre, which opens next year. Regular mini-bus trips from the festival site to see the site at the Wetlands Reserve – one of the jewels of Newport – are planned throughout the weekend.

The star of the Festival will be the Newport Transporter Bridge. It is by far the largest working bridge of its type in the world and was designed by the leading exponent of the “ariel ferry” design - Ferdinand Ardonin,. During the weekend the Bridge will be doing what it does best – transporting thousands of people high over the River Usk on its beautiful hanging gondola. Older generations of Newportonians have incredibly strong attachments to this wonderful structure. One of the main aims of the Festival is to increase the use and appreciation of Newport 's most famous icon amongst younger people to help protect it for another 100 years.

NCIC is grateful for the support of the Friends of Newport Transporter Bridge, who first came up with the idea of a centenary event.

A very special choral event at the Festival has been announced. A community choir of 100 voices, led by Sarah Harman, will perform “Steel Threads” on Saturday 16 th September. Everyone is welcome to find out more about how to join the rehearsals over the Summer at an introductory meeting to be held at 7.00pm on July 4 th in the Burleigh Academy , Llanthewy Road . The performance, which is supported by the Arts Council for Wales , Audi UK and John Liscombe Ltd, will feature five beautiful new songs about the Transporter Bridge, accompanied by digital projections by Newport 's leading photographers and digital artists. Practice CDs and manuscripts will be avialable, but you do not need to be able to read music to join the choir. Everyone is welcome. For further information contact Sarah Harman on 01873 890616 or sarah.harmany@tiscali.co.uk

David Hando is organising a community hymn singing event on Sunday 17 th September on the Festival site. If you or your faith group would like to attend this special celebration, please contact David over the Summer david.hando@newport.gov.uk

Graham Briscoe, the Chairman of NCIC describes the Company's vision:

“Newport Community Interest Company is a new organisation which is working to support the social regeneration of the City of Newport through activities that recognise both the cultural identity of specific communities and a cosmopolitan approach to modern city life.

These aims will be achieved by organising events, such as the Crow Point Festival, community promotions, training and capacity building projects.

We share the Council's vision for the regeneration of the City and will seek to compliment this by supporting the development of a wide range of annual events that both celebrate the City's diverse nature and culture and promote a common sense of place.

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

The Crow Point Festival is a free festival to celebrate the centenary of the Newport Transporter Bridge. A real Newport landmark, it's one of only seven bridges of its kind, and has been described as the finest transporter bridge in the world.

For further press enquiries please contact:

John Hallam, NCIC Festival Director,

Newport Community Interest Company, Suite 5 , 1st Floor, Clarence House, Clarence Place , Newport NP19 7AA

www.crowpoint.co.uk ; info@crowpoint.co.uk ; 01633 762155