Festival in the wings at North Walsham
Richard BatsonA festival in a north Norfolk town aimed at boosting the arts, aspirations and bridging the generation gap is already reaping results.Richard Batson
A festival in a north Norfolk town aimed at boosting the arts, aspirations and bridging the generation gap is already reaping results.
The third year of the Griffon Festival at North Walsham starts this weekend, with a bigger-than-ever range of events.
They include visiting authors, music and drama performances, history talks and a session to get the young and old discussing the town.
Founder and chairman Ruth Brumby said festival began as a smaller schools-only event aiming to raise children's aspirations, access to arts and awareness of the local heritage.
It had grown to include the wider community, but regular dressing up sessions at the junior school where she is head to show what children wanted to be when they grew up had also revealed they were thinking about a wider range of job ideas.
'They had to dress up how they would be in 25 years time. The first time they wanted to be hairdressers and footballers. This time they wanted to be sports coaches and lawyers too,' she added.
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Mrs Brumby hoped people of all ages turned up to support the festival events.
Public events include:
Monday June 14 - Britain in the 1950s, talk by Sue Morse, junior school 7pm
Tuesday June 15 - Abridged Midsummer Nights' Dream, high school, 7-9pm, call 01696 402581 for tickets
Wednesday June 16 - junior and infants school musical performance of Chatter Chatter Chatter, Knapton Church, 6.30pm
Thursday June 17 - farm tour, Hall farm, Southrepps, 7pm, call 07721 465647
Saturday June 19 - inter-generational event at community centre 1-3pm; family music event, Mundseley Coronation Hall, 11am-4pm, call 01485 609009
Wednesday June 23 - two Roald Dahl Revolting Rhyme stories by Paston College's 22 Shoes drama group, 5pm at college theatre. For children aged 5-10 years. Tickets 01692 402334
Thursday June 24 - History of English silver talk by Mike Jones, high school library, 7.30pm
Friday June 25 - silent films with piano by Bruce Vogt, Paston College 7.30. Tickets from 01692 407509
More festival details at its website www.griffonfestival.co.uk
